EVALUATION OF MATERNAL DIETARY ADEQUACY USING THE FIGO NUTRITION CHECKLIST AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CARE AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN KARACHI

Abstract

Background: Maternal malnutrition remains a major public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like Pakistan, where many pregnant women have inadequate dietary intake, leading to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Nutritional Checklist is a validated screening tool used during antenatal care to identify nutritional risk and assess dietary adequacy in pregnant women.

Objective: To determine the frequency of adequate dietary intake among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi using the FIGO Nutritional Checklist.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Civil Hospital Karachi, from February to August, 2024. A total of 177 pregnant women were enrolled through consecutive sampling. Pregnant women of any gestational age who consented were included, while those with chronic illnesses or high-risk pregnancies were excluded. Data on demographics and obstetric characteristics (parity and trimester) were recorded. Dietary intake was assessed using the FIGO Nutritional Checklist. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27.0. Quantitative variables were expressed as mean ± standard deviation, while qualitative variables were presented as frequencies and percentages. The chi-square test was applied, with p ≤ 0.05 considered significant.

Results: The mean maternal age was 32.93 ± 7.49 years and mean BMI was 27.41 ± 2.56 kg/m². Regarding gestational age, 83 (46.9%) women were ≤16 weeks and 94 (53.1%) were >16 weeks. Most participants were multiparous (54.2%) and belonged to urban areas (80.2%). In terms of socioeconomic status, 61.6% had a monthly income >50,000, 65% were unemployed, and 40.7% had primary-level education. Adequate dietary intake was observed in 62 (35%) women, while 115 (65%) had inadequate intake.

Conclusion: A large proportion of pregnant women had inadequate dietary intake. Routine nutritional screening and counseling should be strengthened during antenatal care to improve maternal and fetal outcomes.