Development and testing of a nutrition education tool on iron supplementation for pregnant women

Development and testing of a nutrition education tool on iron supplementation for pregnant women

Blog Article

Background: Although iron supplementation may prevent iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) during pregnancy, a nutrition education tool highlighting the importance of iron supplementation during pregnancy is also important.Objectives: The aim was to develop and test a nutrition education tool on iron supplementation for pregnant women.Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted.Setting: Mutare City Clinic, Manicaland province, Zimbabwe.

Subjects: Sixty-seven pregnant women in their second or third trimesters of pregnancy and attending Mutare City Clinic for antenatal care (ANC) participated in the study.Outcome measures: The preferences of pregnant women regarding form, Mascara Remover structure and content of the nutrition education tool were established using eight focus-group discussions (FGDs) in which 67 pregnant women participated.Three additional FGDs were conducted with another 28 pregnant women to assess the user-friendliness and acceptability of the developed tool.Results: A pamphlet was the most preferred tool, with English being the most preferred language, along with some Shona phrases.

Women wanted information on IDA, dosage, duration and side-effects of iron supplementation and iron food sources to be included in the pamphlet.The participants identified clinics, pharmacies and churches as ideal sites for dissemination of the tool.Conclusions: A pamphlet on iron supplementation in simple English with some Shona phrases was the nutrition education tool most preferred by the pregnant women.Offering the pamphlet together with iron supplements UC-II to pregnant women could improve compliance with iron supplements.

However, follow-up ANC consultations are important for effective implementation of all key messages in the pamphlet.