UNDERNUTRITION AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG ADOLESCENT PREGNANT WOMEN IN AFDEM DISTRICT, ETHIOPIAN SOMALI REGION, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Maternal undernutrition continues to place a heavy burden on low- and middleincome countries. Pregnancy puts adolescent women at increased risk of malnutrition through diverting nutrients from the mother to the fetus, pregnancy complications and poor pregnancy outcomes (including death). Early pregnancy contributes to the cycle of maternal malnutrition. The adolescent pregnant women constitute the most vulnerable segment of a population from the nutritional standpoint; in particular the conditions of pregnant women belonging to low income group are a matter of serious concern. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess undernutrition and associated factors among adolescent pregnant women (age <20 years) in Afdem district, Ethiopian Somali region, Eastern Ethiopia. Methods and materials: A cross-sectional study design was conducted among randomly selected 381 adolescent pregnant women from February 15-30/02/2017. A pre-tested and structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data and health care and feeding practices. The data was collected by home to home visit and data collectors’ accuracy of anthropometric measurements was standardized with their trainer during training and pre-testing. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the data. Logistic regression was performed to assess the association between each independent variable and dependent variable. The level of statistical significance was declared at P-value less than 0.05. Results: The prevalence of undernutrition was [35.9%; 95%CI (30.8%, 40.2%)].Adolescent pregnant women who had changing to less meal frequency of eating than before the pregnancy time were 4.2 times more likely undernourished than women who do not change the frequency of eating [AOR=4.2; 95%CI (2.25, 7.79)].Regarding, number of wives the husband had, women with husbands with two and more wives were 2.14 times more likely undernourished than women with husband only one wife [AOR=2.14; 95% CI (1.02, 4.26)]. Adolescent pregnant women from severely food insecure households were 7.9 times more likely undernutrition compared with those women from food secure households [AOR=7.9; 95%CI(3.20, 19.60)]. Moderately foods insecure were also 3.03 times more likely undernutrition compared to food secure household women [AOR=3.03; 95%CI (1.02, 7.90)]. Conclusion: There was high level of undernutrition among the adolescent pregnant women in the study area. The factors associated with undernutrition among adolescent pregnant were women with husband had two and more wives, moderately and severely household food insecure, changing to less meal frequency of eating than before pregnancy time. Afdem district health office should give emphasis on nutrition in life cycle approach and strengthening activities of the community on creation of job opportunity particularly in food-insecure households.