A Call to Action

Living in a digital era when most women can enjoy the benefits of easy access to a wealth of online information does not guarantee that mothers-to-bear aware of healthy dietary and nutrition recommendations for pregnancy and the lactation period. Our study aimed to survey the awareness of pregnant women from urban and rural North Eastern Romania in order to identify potential knowledge gaps or misconceptions and suggest solutions to achieve adequate information. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 women in the third trimester of pregnancy from both rural and urban parts of NE Romania. A questionnaire was designed to collect data on general socio-demographic characteristics and the women's ability to recognize relevant recommendations for diet and nutrition during pregnancy and lactation. The survey was conducted in 2018 and the data was analysed with SPSS version 16. The mean age of the respondents was 29.8. Overall, they were not entirely aware of the appropriate weight gain during pregnancy, the role of iodine or vitamin D in fetus development, the recommended daily intake of dairy products, or the food sources for iron, folic acid, and fatty acids. Moreover, urban women (51%) seemed better informed overall than those from the countryside (49%) (p<0.001): significant knowledge discrepancies were found regarding awareness of recommended caloric increase during pregnancy (p=0.0087), number of meals per day (0.0230), or the benefits of iron (p<0.0001), calcium (p=0.0192), and folic acid (p=0.0238) in the diet. Our study provides insight into the awareness of pregnant women in NE Romania with regard to relevant diet and nutrition topics, as well as certain disparities between women from urban vs. rural areas. The results can help inform educational measures aiming to address knowledge needs and promote healthy dietary habits during such important periods as pregnancy and lactation

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