Urban poor women do not increase their diet during pregnancy: A study from an urban resettlement colony in Delhi, India

Background: The rate of decline in maternal and infant mortality in India is not fast enough to achieve Millennium Development Goals. Poor nutrition, during pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. However, due to various factors, pregnant women do not enhance the quality or quantity of diet during pregnancy. Aims: This study was conducted to find whether increase in dietary intake occurs in pregnancy and to understand the factors influencing the dietary intake during pregnancy in an urban resettlement colony in Delhi. Materials and Methods: Community based case control was conducted among 50 pregnant women and 50 matched controls to study the change in dietary intake during pregnancy and its determinants. In-depth interview were conducted among pregnant women to understand the factors influencing the dietary intake. Results: No significant difference in the intake of energy, protein, iron, calcium, protein, folic acid and Vitamin C between pregnant and non pregnant women. The factors like age, family type, history of previous pregnancy and socio economic status were not associated with increase in dietary intake in pregnancy. In-depth interview shows that even though pregnant women knew that dietary intake should increase in pregnancy, they fail to put this into practice. Conclusions: The pregnant women in the urban resettlement colony do not eat differently from their non pregnant counterpart.