The effects of nutritional training program given during the different trimersters of pregnancy on their general health and nutritional status

Ill ABSTRACT THE EFFECTS OF NUTRITIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM GIVEN DURING THE DIFFERENT TRIMESTERS OF PREGNANCY ON THEIR GENERAL HEALTH AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS The objective of this study was to compare general health and nutritional status of pregnant women who have been trained on nutrition with pregnant women who have not received any training. The study was carried out on 150 volunteer women at Çubuk Mother-Child Health and Family Planning (MCHFP) Center between September 2000 and October 2001. The pregnant women who have applied to Çubuk Mother-Child Health and Family Planning (MCHFP) Center during the mentioned period are categorised under three groups according to their pregnancy periods. First group is composed of 50 pregnant women (25 women as study group and 25 women as a control group) who are at their first trimester (lst-3rd months). Second group is composed of 50 pregnant women (25 women as study group and 25 women as a control group) who are at their second trimester (4th-6th months) and the third group is composed of 50 pregnant women (25 women as study group and 25 women as a control group) who are at their third trimester (7th-9th months). Two training programs, one in the first and the other in the second trimester were provided to women in the first group. In the second group, women were provided with a single training during their second trimester and the women in the third group were provided with a single training during their third trimester. In order to determine the changes taking place, the questionnaire forms were reapplied for each woman following the 30-40 days period. The questionnaires were also applied to 75 women in the control group with same regularity. From the results of the study, it is found out that the women included in the study were married at an age limit accepted as adolescent period and also experienced their first pregnancies again in the same age limit. It is also indicated in the study that, the weekly weight gain of the women who have been monitored since the occurrence of pregnancy and provided with nutritionalIV training was more than others. Decrease in the haemoglobin and hematocrit levels of all women from study and control group in each trimester were monitored. The haemoglobin levels of the women found out to be lower especially during the second and third interviews held after the second trimester, ii In the study it is observed that pregnant women had low levels of knowledge on nutrition during pregnancy but when provided with a nutritional training regularly during the first months of pregnancy, their knowledge are found out to be improving significantly. The number of answers given by women on nutritional habits increased when compared to the control group. However, as this increase is also closely related with the nutritional habits before the preconception (before pregnancy), the improvement was not reflected in women's haemoglobin levels. It can be concluded that a single nutritional training provided at the late stages of pregnancy will not be as adequate as nutritional training provided twice from the early stages' of pregnancy. In conclusion, pregnant women's knowledge level on nutrition and anaemia during pregnancy can advance anaemia and its severity. For healthier generations and to prevent nutrition problems during pregnancy, food variety has to be increased, an adequate and a balanced diet/nutrition has to be provided, infections have to be prevented, loss of nutrients during preparation, preservation and cooking have to be prevented. In addition, the education level of women and their families should be improved, whenever possible women have to be provided with an effective nutritional training for behavioural change before and regularly during pregnancy, KEYWORDS: Pregnancy, nutrition, training, anaemia.