Abstract:
Background: Undernutrition in pregnant women, expressed as low mid-upper arm circumference, is responsible for
maternal mortality and morbidity, adverse birth outcomes, subsequent childhood malnutrition, and mortality. As
a result, the purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of maternal undernutrition and associated
factors during pregnancy in public hospitals in the Bench-Sheko and Kaffa zones of southwest Ethiopia.
Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed among 566 women who received antenatal
care from March–May 2021 at the public hospitals of the Bench-Sheko and Kaffa zones, Southwest Ethiopia. A
systematic random sampling technique was used to select the research unit. Undernutrition was measured by midupper arm circumference. The data were entered into Epi- Data version 3.1 and then exported to Statistical
Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21 software for analysis. Multivariate logistic regression models were
constructed using variables with a P-value <0.25 in bivariate logistic regression analysis. Finally, in multivariate
logistic regression analysis, the variable with a (P-value < 0.05) is considered statistically significant.
Results: A total of 566 pregnant women participated in our study with a response rate of 98.3%. The overall
prevalence of undernutrition among pregnant women was 42.4% (95% CI: 38.3, 46.5). In multivariate logistic
regression, the age of mothers between 16-24 years old (AOR ¼ 3.9, 95% CI: 1.60, 9.70), household food insecurity (AOR ¼ 1.81, 95% CI: 1.04, 3.15), and poor dietary knowledge (AOR ¼ 3.25, 95% CI: 1.94, 5.47) were the
factors significantly associated with undernutrition among pregnant women.
Conclusion: According to this study finding, the prevalence of undernutrition was very much high in the study
area, which was significantly associated with the age groups of 16–24 years older women, poor dietary knowledge, and household food insecurity. Therefore, the strategies and programs targeted towards reducing and
preventing undernutrition among pregnant mothers should be made at all levels to improve their nutritional
status, and also health information, nutrition counseling, and food assistant should be provided.
