Magnitude of Undernutrition and Associated Factors among Pregnant Women Attending Public Health Facilities in Goba District, Bale Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia: A Cross-sectional Study

  1. Seifu Mohammed Ibrahim
  2. Meron Seyoum Lakew
  3. Abebe Feyissa Amhare
  4. Dursa Hussein
  5. Habib Kedir
  6. Haris Abdulbesit
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Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to assess the magnitude of undernutrition and associated factors among pregnant women attending public health facilities in the Goba district, Bale zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia, 2022.

Design

Institution-based, cross-sectional study design was used.

Setting

The study was conducted in selected public health facilities from May to June 2022.

Participants

The study population consisted of pregnant women who lived for at least 6 months in the study area and who attended antenatal care follow-up at selected public health facilities during the study period. Pregnant women who lived for less than six months in the study area and those who were critically ill were excluded from the study.

Results

487 respondents participated in this study with a 100% response rate. More than half (50.7%) of pregnant mothers were undernourished. The significant factors associated with maternal undernutrition during pregnancy in this study were mothers with no formal education (AOR = 5.050; 95% CI: 1.470-17.346), a history of illness during pregnancy (AOR = 2.089; 95% CI: 1.246-3.504), and eating frequency of meals less than or equal to three times per day (AOR = 3.292; 95% CI: 1.040-10.42). Poor nutritional knowledge (AOR = 5.588; 95% CI: 2.921-10.689), poor household (HH) wealth status (AOR = 4.774; 95% CI: 2.216-10.285), and mothers who had >= 4 pregnancies were included (AOR = 0.852; 95% CI: 342-0.989).

Conclusion

The magnitude of Undernutrition among pregnant women was 50.7%. Significant associations with Undernutrition were found in mothers with no formal education, poor dietary knowledge, a meal frequency of three or fewer times per day, a history of illness during pregnancy, lower and medium household wealth status, and those who had experienced four or more pregnancies while attending antenatal care (ANC) services at public health facilities.

Strengths and limitations of the study

  • Comprehensive data collection covers socio-demographic, economic, dietary, and health factors.

  • Standardized measurement techniques and adapted tools ensure data reliability and validity

  • As a cross-sectional study, a cause-and-effect relationship cannot be established to identify actual predictors

  • Reliance on self-reporting for dietary habits and illness history may introduce bias.

  • The study excluded pregnant women who were not utilizing ANC services.

Article activity feed

  1. Version published to 10.64898/2026.06.05.26354999 on medRxiv