ABSTRACT

The  study was to accessed the knowledge and consumption pattern of iron and vitamin A rich food among pregnant women in Umuahia South, Agbama, Amakamma, Old Umuahia, Ubakala and Olokoro Umuahia South Local Government Area, Abia State. The objective of the study was aimed to assess the knowledge and consumption pattern Iron and vitamin A rich food among pregnant women in Umuahia south Local Government Area (L.G.A), Abia State. The method used for the study is a cross-sectional study which was conducted using multi-stage sampling. The study used 211 pregnant women which were randomly selected from five communities (Agbama, Amakamma, Old Umuahia, Ubakala and Olokoro). Data was collected using structured and validated interviewer-administered questionnaires. The result of the study examined the socio-economic characteristics, micronutrient knowledge, and food consumption patterns among 211 pregnant women in the Southeastern part of Nigeria. The research revealed significant insights into nutritional awareness and dietary habits. According to the study, majority were aged 25-38 years (72.5%) 82.9% were married, 42.7% had tertiary education,  40.3% were self-employed, 41.2% earned below 30,000 Naira monthly. For micronutrient knowledge of limited understanding of iron and vitamin A importance during pregnancy, 65.9% recognized iron-rich foods as very important, 46.9% were unaware of specific iron-rich foods, 50.2% had no knowledge about vitamin A. For varied consumption of essential food groups 50.7% respondents consumed  roots/tubers, 66.4% consumed rarely. Moderate seafood intake (64% daily).  The finding of the study reveals that respondents' socio-demographic and economic factors, such as education, employment, and income, influenced their knowledge and consumption of micro-nutrients like vitamin A and iron. However, significant knowledge gaps persisted, with many respondents unable to identify the importance of these nutrients or their sources. Food consumption patterns showed that root crops, vegetables, and seafood were more commonly consumed while cereals, legumes and fruits were less frequent in diets. Socio-economic factors had a weak correlation with nutritional awareness and food consumption. These findings highlight the need for improved nutritional education and accessibility to nutrient-rich foods. The study recommends  designed interventions to reach underprivileged and less-educated populations, ensuring that nutritional benefits are widely distributed regardless of socio-economic status, promote diverse dietary practices through community workshops, emphasizing the inclusion of fruits, cereals, and animal products to improve overall health outcomes and to conduct regular studies to monitor the effectiveness of implemented programs and to explore additional barriers to proper nutrition for continuous improvement.