Eating habits in women of childbearing age as an educational need in the prevention of congenital malformations

Abstract

Background: women of childbearing age are a deciding link in the health of the population. The health of the offspring at birth and during adulthood depends, among other factors, on the pregestational nutritional status.Objective: to determine the level of knowledge of eating habits and its relation with congenital malformations and other diseases at birth, of women of childbearing age of the health district of Bartle, Las Tunas.Methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out with a simple of 68 women of fertile age who visited the doctor’s office of the health district herein declared, from January 2016 to January 2017. A semi-structured questionnaire was given to them in order to measure socioeconomic variables, to explore the level of knowledge of eating habits, as well as the relation between nutrition and congenital disorders, the mother and child health, among others. Descriptive statistics was used for the treatment of the results.Results: the amount of women in the 21 to 34 age group was higher (55,8 %), as well as the pre-university level (92,6 %) and good eating habits given by the intake of basic foods. In other variables 39 women stated that maternal nutrition is not related to the onset of congenital malformations and other disorders; 6 women declared not to know; a total of 45 (66,2 %) did not have knowledge on this topic.Conclusions: the knowledge level of eating habits as a key factor for the prevention of congenital malformations and other disorders was poor in the sample of the studied women of childbearing age.

Keywords

• feeding behavior
• nutrition, public health
• women
• fertile period
• congenital abnormalities
• maternal and child health.