Dietary Diversity, Nutritional Outcome and Associated Factors among Pregnant Women during Their First Trimester of Pregnancy in Coastal Region of Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: A significant public health risk for expectant mothers is inadequate dietary diversification and undernutrition. Given that nutritional deficits may have a significant impact on the mother's and the fetus's health, optimal dietary diversity is crucial throughout pregnancy. The health status of expectant mothers in coastal area was unknown during the first trimester of pregnancy, despite their undernourishment and lack of dietary diversity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status, dietary diversity, and related factors among pregnant women residing in the coastal region of Bangladesh.

Methods: 416 pregnant women participated in a multi-stage sampling procedure and a community-based cross-sectional study design. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data on dietary diversity were gathered using a modified version of the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance questionnaire. Using a BMI measurement, the nutritional condition of expectant mothers was evaluated. Descriptive statistics were used to report the study participant’s characteristics after the data were analyzed using SPSS 25. To determine the variables influencing dietary diversity, a logistic regression model was constructed.

Results: Among 71.4% pregnant women, diverse diet was seen. Intake of nutrient-rich foods varied significantly according to women’s employment status, educational level, family income level, and family type categories. Pregnant women, whose monthly family income was <15,000 BDT (OR 0.057**, 95% CI, 0.007- 0.469) and 15,000-40,000 BDT (OR 0.103*, 95% CI, 0.013-0.792) had respectively the tendency of having 0.057 times and 0.103 times low dietary diversity score than the pregnant women, whose monthly family income was >65,000 BDT that indicated a statistically significant relationship.

Conclusion: Pregnant women showed good levels of dietary diversity scores (DDS) that were considered acceptable (>5 food groups), and there was a significant relationship between DDS and participant's type of family, women's education, women's job, their family's monthly income and nutritional status.