Page 110 - IJPS-2-1

Dietary intake knowledge and reasons for food restriction during pregnancy among pregnant women attending primary health care centers in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

1. Introduction

The problem of malnutrition among women is of serious public health concern (Maduforo, 2010).
The well-being of mother and the newborn infant is greatly determined by the nutrition of the ex-
pectant mother during pregnancy and it further influences the health of the child during childhood
and adulthood (Bhargava, 2000; Scholl and Johnson, 2000). According to a previous study (Harding,
2001), spontaneous abortion, impaired fetal growth, poor pregnancy weight gain, learning impair-
ment, and behavioral problems of the offspring are caused by inadequate nutrition during pregnancy.
According to Ramakrishnan (2004), a majority of low birth weight (LBW) infants in
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developing countries are due to intrauterine growth retardation (i.e., less than the 10 percentile
weight for gestational age). In developing countries, the most important determinants of intrauterine
growth retardation stem primarily from the mother’s poor health and nutritional status (Wardlaw,
Blanc, Zupan et al., 2004).
Malnutrition is ranked as one of the major causes of maternal mortality and it is a major determi-
nant of a successful pregnancy and a healthy well-nourished baby (Sholeye, Badejo, and Jeminusi,
2014; Maduforo, 2010). Developing nations account for 99% of all maternal deaths in the world
(World Health Organization, 2015). Nigeria has one of the highest maternal death rates in the world
with the current rate of 576 deaths per 100,000 live births (National Population Commission, 2013).
These staggering statistics show that while it is important that the major avoidable causes of mater-
nal mortality and adverse pregnancy outcome are eliminated by looking into the feeding practices of
women due to their traditional beliefs and taboos, and also to determine its effect on their nutritional
status.
In Nigeria, improper dietary practices of pregnant women have apparently led to increased rates
of stillbirths, premature births, low birth weight, maternal and prenatal deaths (Bhargava, 2000; Ra-
makrishnan, 2004). Food consumption practices of pregnant women in Nigeria are highly influ-
enced by many socio-cultural factors such as food taboos, family food distribution, food beliefs, and
food restriction practices (Sholeye, Badejo, and Jeminusi, 2014; Ojofeitimi, Ogunjuyigbe, Sanusi et al.,
2008; Ogunjuyigbe and Maduforo, 2010). In a study conducted by Maduforo (2010) in Nwangele
Local Government Area (LGA) of Imo State, southeastern Nigeria, it revealed that 15.0% of the
respondents mentioned some foods as taboos in the study area and 38.0% of the pregnant women
were malnourished. Maduforo (2010) observed that pregnant women held onto the food taboos
handed down from generation to generation, including prohibition of grasscutter meat, cassava meals
(fufu), spaghetti (pasta), noodles, cocoa beverages, eggs, and snails. Some of the prohibited or
avoided foods are common sources of essential nutrients that are essential for improving maternal
and child health (Ojofeitimi, Ogunjuyigbe, Sanusi et al., 2008).
As a result of the well-entrenched traditional food taboos and socio-cultural beliefs relating to di-
etary intake during pregnancy, many pregnant women have misinformation about the harmful effects
of these taboo foods (Kavle, Mehanna, Saleh et al., 2014). In some sub-Saharan African countries
including Nigeria, it is commonly believed that sexually transmitted diseases or complications dur-
ing childbirth are the result of the violation of food taboos (King, 2000; Maimbolwa, Yamba, Diwan
et al., 2003; Maduforo, 2010). An earlier study conducted in Nigeria by Odebiyi (1989) observed
that Yoruba traditional healers in Nigeria often interpreted the occurrence or persistence of illness as
a punishment for the violation of food taboos. It will therefore not be surprising if some pregnant
Yoruba women have inadequate knowledge and misperceptions relating to necessary diets. Issues
relating to knowledge and socio-cultural factors influencing dietary intake among pregnant women
especially in south-western parts of Nigeria have not been well documented. These issues have the
potential of facilitating the design and implementation of interventions and polices that would ad-
dress the problem of malnutrition among pregnant women. This study therefore investigates dietary
intake knowledge and reasons for food restriction during pregnancy among pregnant women attend-
ing antenatal clinics in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

104 International Journal of Population Studies | 2016, Volume 2, Issue 1