Fundamentally, Malnutrition is a deficiency of essential nutrients in our body. It influences human body adversely such as, it causes fetus mortality, female fatigue and miscarriages. To address the community issue of malnutrition, current research aims to find a relationship between awareness of malnutrition and its impact on pregnant females in Sialkot.
Present research is a qualitative research and it is based on random sampling technique. Sample was collected from 282 pregnant females of Sialkot.
Results revealed a positive relationship between malnutrition awareness and obstratic outcomes.
From the results of the present study it is concluded that females who were educated and aware about the effects of malnutrition were healthier than those females who were ignorant of adverse effects of malnutrition and faced a lot of health issues. Hence, Knowledge about malnutrition is very much important for all pregnancy bearing females because a healthy Mother has a healthy child.
Malnutrition defines as deficiency of energy in a person. Malnutrition is also referred as imbalance in energy. Malnutrition occurs when a person ignores his own self and takes fewer amounts of important nutrients that cause imbalance in their body.
Malnutrition is the imbalance of nutrients in body. Our body needs nutrition and energy for bodily function. Malnutrition is responsible for many health issues e.g. fatigue, muscle ache, body ache, low level of energy which results decrease in effective working of an individual. Severe deficiency of nutrients is life threatening.1
Pregnancy is a state when our body needs more energy and nutrients. In pregnancy, the food of mother is more important. Because the health of mother and as well as the health of child also depend on this food which a mother intake. For a healthy pregnancy, the supply of good nutrition is more important for mother and for the developing child.2
Malnutrition has adverse effect on pregnancy, because in this condition body demands more nutrients. We take more healthy diet because the growth and development of fetus depend on it. When mother take that food which has less amount of healthy nutrients, then
There could be various factors which are responsible for malnutrition in the body. Poverty, cultural influences and above all knowledge/education is also major cause of malnutrition. Due to illiteracy females ignores the healthy diet which causes dangerous effects on both Mother and the Fetus. Pregnancy itself is a state of psychological and physical changes.
Many researches have been conducted on malnutrition. Many researches find out the reasons and causes of malnutrition on pregnancy. We also do work hard to explore the adverse effect of malnutrition on pregnancy. Basically the main purpose of our study to find out that how many females has awareness about the effects of malnutrition on pregnancy. We also study the articles and old studies which indicates these factors. As a research conducted in university of Arizona in 1989, this research studies the effect of malnutrition on effects. The results of this study indicate malnutrition cause the muscles problem in females during pregnancy. This study also indicates that low socioeconomic status can lead the malnutrition.
Another study was conducted by it indicates the side effects of malnutrition on pregnancy and lactation. It indicates that the pregnant and lactating women are most important part of our population.4 Fontal programming indicates that the nutrients and healthy diet is main component of healthy pregnancy. The healthy diet is important for the mother and as well as for the development of baby. It is also necessary to get rid of complications during pregnancy.
One study conducted in 2017, indicates that nutrition is a key factor for a healthy pregnancy. Malnutrition has adverse effects on pregnancy. It affects the both mother and fetus. It can cause the intellectual disabilities and much other chronic disease in mother and in baby.4
The purpose of this study was to discuss how malnutrition affects pregnancy and its effect on pre and postnatal growth of fetus. During pregnancy healthy diet is necessary for mother and baby. If there is proper diet during pregnancy that provide energy which is beneficial for baby growth and mother in delivery.3 Healthy diet is helpful in future for lactation. This study shows that malnutrition or lack of healthy diet effect adulthood life. And can cause of many disease in adulthood.
Another study conducted in 2016, in USA screening 150 pregnant women. The study showed the significant result between malnutrition and newborn outcome. It affects mother and child. The result of study revealed malnutrition can cause of during pregnancy gestational anemia, hypertension, heart disease, fetal death during pregnancy, or during delivery. It also effects the growth of immune system of baby.5
Study was conducted in 2008 that showed the relationship between mental growth and malnutrition. If mother take low calories or unhealthy diet during pregnancy.6 The results showed their child have low I. Q when they going to school. And low cognitive ability and problematic behavior.
The main purpose of this study was to indicate the relationship between the intakes of healthy food and growth and development. The results of this study indicates that the development of our body and brain depend on our diet. Micronutrients and macronutrients are very important for the development and our body functions.7
Another study and its results indicate some informative programs can held that are helpful to educate the illiterate persons in society. By these programs we educate the people and provide the awareness of adverse effects of malnutrition on pregnancy.8
Current research is based on qualitative research approach. Random sampling technique was used for the collection of data. Mean and SD was found by using Statistical package for social sciences. The women questionnaire was used to collect data from female, each question in the questionnaire measure the knowledge of awarness about malnutrition on pregnancy. The questionaire was administered on females with half percentage 141 were educated females and 141 were uneducated females. Interview sessions were conducted with obstretritions of Sialkot city.
All pregnancy bearing females were included others were excluded.
It is hypothesized that:
Pregnancy bearing females are not well aware about the proper nutrition necessary during pregnancy.
Education is the major factor of awareness about impact of malnutrition.
Pregnant female are aware about the proper nutrition necessory during pregnancy.
Pregnant women who receive inadequate nutrition, experience greater maternal morbidity (are more likely to be ill whilst pregnant) and have a higher risk of poorpregnancyoutcomes (e.g. premature birth, miscarriage)
In current research data of 282 females was collected. The questionaire was based on 10 knowledge based questions. For comparison interviews of 3 expert renowned gynecologists from Sialkot city were conducted. In first question awareness about malnutrition was checked by asking “malnutrition in pregnancy results in offspring with low birth weight and high risk of prenatal mortality and neonatal morbidity”. Out of 282 female, 153 female agree to this question and according to experts if the female is suffering from malnutrition there are hundred percent chances of child with low birth weight and neonatal morbidity and prenatal mortality. In second question awareness is checked by asking “Tiredness with dizziness can result from malnutrition”. Out of 282 female 171 female strongly agree to this question, in experts opinion pregnant females with malnutrition will surely feel tiredness and dizziness due to malnutrition there is high percentage of female who strongly agree to this question but still there were 20 females who disagree with this statement. Third statement was “malnutrition will result in decreased breast milk” 147 female strongly agree to this statement but 33 female disagree to this statement and according to experts opinion if female suffer from malnutrition there is a high chance of decreased breast milk, as if a pregnant lady is not taking nutrition properly how could she feed the child the volume of breast milk will surely decrease. “females suffering from malnutrition will have less immunity”. Out of 282 females 123 females strongly agree to this statement 54 female disagree with this statement. In experts opinion a female with malnutrition will definitely has less immunity as compare to female who has balanced nutrition. Forth statement was” malnutrition cause premature delivery and abortion”. 114 female agree to this statement 60 female disagree to this statement and 12 female strongly disagree to this statement. In expert opinion there are 100% chances of premature delivery and abortion. The next statement was “cultural belief expose the female to malnutrition”. 156 female disagree to this statement and 56 female strongly agree to this statement. In expert opinion females who have awareness and are educated are not influenced by the poor cultural belief and females who are illiterate and don’t have awareness came in the influence of poor cultural beliefs. The next statement was “malnutrition is caused by ignorance”. 147 female strongly agree to this statement 91 females strongly disagree to this statement, in experts opinion if all the resources are available and female is ignoring and not taking diet properly then there is a high chance of malnutrition, and there is a high percentage of female who suffer from malnutrition due to ignorance. Next statement was “poverty can cause malnutrition”. 159 female strongly agree to this question, 27 female disagree to this statement. In experts opinion poverty will lead to lack of resources, and females who don’t have resources to maintain balanced diet will ultimately suffer from malnutrition, and it’s the major cause of malnutrition. Next statement was “female who take only carbohydrate will suffer from malnutrition”. 114 agree to this statement 102 female disagree to this statement. In experts opinion a balanced diet is required for the pregnant ladies. Only consuming carbohydrate is not be enough for the females, as excess of everything will cause problem. A balanced diet including carbohydrates, protein, iron, calcium etc is required in balanced quantity. 10th statement was “females who have less income and more children will suffer from malnutrition” 105 female strongly agree to this statement 90 females strongly disagree and 24 females disagree to this statement. In experts opinion females who have less income and more children have more chances of malnutrition because it will be difficult to manage the living of more children in less income, and pregnant lady will also suffer from malnutrition.
Results support the hypothesis of the current research. Results are clear indication that in process of awareness there is a strong influence of education. Through proper awareness about malnutritional effects women can get healthy body and can enjoy their pregnancy without major health issues. With such knowledge risk of mortality, still birth and c-sections could be avoided.
As this was a qualitative research hence, it was time consuming and taken a lot of time in completion. Sample could be increased. Results could not be generalized outside the Sialkot City. More medical officers could be contacted for better outcomes of the research.
Obtained results reveals that knowledge and awareness about malnutrition is highly recommended in our community through campaign or advertisment. By these means we can reduce the mother and infant's life risk.
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