%0 Journal Article
%T Access to nutrition advice and knowledge, attitudes and practices of pregnant women in Ireland: A cross-sectional study.
%A McCarthy EK
%A Ní Riada C
%A O'Brien R
%A Minogue H
%A McCarthy FP
%A Kiely ME
%J J Hum Nutr Diet
%V 0
%N 0
%D 2024 Jun 17
%M 38881396
%F 2.995
%R 10.1111/jhn.13342
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Healthy nutritional status, appropriate gestational weight gain and a balanced diet are important predictors of perinatal health outcomes. However, gaps exist in the translation of nutrition recommendations into dietary practices of women before and during pregnancy. The present study explored the relationship between access to nutrition advice, nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices among pregnant women.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Pregnant women aged > 18 years in Ireland were eligible to complete a self-administered survey consisting of four subsections (demographics, nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices) delivered online through Qualtrics.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>In this convenience sample (n = 334, median [interquartile range] gestation, 25.0 [16.0, 34.0] weeks), 85% had at least an honours bachelor degree and 88.9% planned their pregnancy. Two out of five women received nutrition advice during their pregnancy, mostly from a midwife. Based on the percentage of correct answers (of 15 questions), women with previous nutrition education (e.g., school home economics) had better median [interquartile range] nutrition knowledge than those with none (80.0% [66.7, 86.7%] vs. 73.3% [60.0, 80.0%], p < 0.001). Those who received nutrition advice during pregnancy did not score higher than those who did not (73.3% [66.7, 80.0%] vs. 73.3% [66.7, 80.0%], p = 0.6). Over three-quarters of participants considered nutritional supplement use to be very or extremely important. Although 73.6% and 92.4% took supplements prior to and during pregnancy, only 25.7% reported compliance with periconceptional folic acid supplementation guidelines. Half of respondents considered healthy eating during pregnancy as very or extremely important.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Access to nutrition advice during pregnancy was inadequate with poor nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices observed. Accessible, evidence-based nutrition education for women prior to and during pregnancy is required.