Taboos during Pregnancy and Low Birth-weight of Children in Gairibisaune VDC, Nepal

Abstract

Background Food taboos during pregnancy are certainly found in rural areas of Nepal, where food comprising of vitamin and iron is avoided. Through this study, we quantitatively assessed the association between food restriction during pregnancy and birth weight of children in the Gairibisaune village, Kavre district, Nepal. Methods The study is a cross-sectional study, involving 200 study participants who are attendees of antenatal visit care. It was a quantitative study which used validated and structured questionnaire for interviewing study participants. Data was analyzed using SPSS software for frequency distribution tables. Chi-square test was used to check the p-values among different variables. STATA software was used to run bivariate logistic regression between dependent and independent variable. In addition, multiple logistic regressions was run to check the adjusted odds ratio after adding the confounders of dependent variable. Results Among 200 participants, about 71% of study participants avoided certain types of food due to certain cultural beliefs and community’s perception. The study identified green leafy vegetables, fish, and yoghurt, fruits such as banana, papaya and mango as the avoided food during pregnancy. Education and family structure showed statistically significant relationship with the food restriction during pregnancy (p value< 0.05). In this study, food restriction during pregnancy was accounted as the independent variable and birth weight was accounted as the dependent variable. Using bivariate logistic regression, the study could identify food restriction during pregnancy as a risk factor for birth weight (OR: 2.14, 95% CI). Education, employment, family structure, smoking history, and maternal age were identified as the confounders in the study. Conclusions Food taboos and beliefs targeting pregnant women exist in Gairibisaune village, Kavre district, Nepal. Pregnant women are restricting food comprising of vitamins and iron to have less risks from abortion, obstructed labor, delivery complications, congestion and abdominal pain. Thus, food taboos during pregnancy have an association with the birth weight of children.