Dietary intake in the third trimester of pregnancy and birth weight of offspring among nonprivileged and priviledged women

Abstract

The dietary intake during the third trimester of pregnancy among 20 nonprivileged and 10 privileged primigravidae in Addis Ababa was studied in a 2 day weighting inventory survey. With the exception of iron and thiamin, the nonprivileged group consumed a diet that was deficient in all nutrients, with an average daily protein and energy intake below 60% of the FAO/WHO Recommendations. The privileged group was found to meet the recommendations for all nutrients except for calcium and riboflavin. Infants born to the nonprivileged women had significantly lower mean birth weight when compared with the infants born to the privileged women.