Undernutrition and Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care: As a Strategy for Reducing Perinatal Morbidity

BACKGROUND: Undernutrition is a major issue among pregnant women, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality. However, the evidence revealed that there is limited evidence in Ethiopia, particularly in the study setting. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the magnitude of undernutrition and associated factors among pregnant mothers attending antenatal care in Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: A facility-based cross-sectional study was employed among 401 systematically selected pregnant mothers who attended antenatal care from January to February 2021. A pretested, structured questionnaire, laboratory investigations, and anthropometric measurements were used for data collection. Data were entered into EpiData 3.1 and exported into SPSS version 26 software for analysis. Both bi-variable and multivariable logistic regressions were performed. Variables with a P-value <.05 at a 95% confidence interval were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In this study, the magnitude of undernutrition among pregnant women was 17.71% (95%CI: 14.0, 21.7). Lowest dietary diversity (AOR = 2.96; 95%CI: 1.20, 7.30), medical illness (AOR = 4.79; 95%CI: 1.20, 19.03), household food insecurity (AOR = 6.71; 95%CI: 2.80, 16.07), and intestinal parasite (AOR = 10.36, 95%CI: 4.37, 24.56) were factors associated with undernutrition. CONCLUSION: The study highlights that undernutrition among pregnant women remains a significant public health concern, emphasizing the need for targeted nutritional interventions during antenatal care. Thus, strengthening and enhancing early intervening modifiable factors of maternal undernutrition may help to improve both maternal health and pregnancy outcomes.