Prevalence of undernutrition among pregnant women and its differences across relevant subgroups in rural Ethiopia: a community based cross-sectional survey

Abstract Background Maternal undernutrition is one of the commonest public health problems in many low and middle income countries where generally more than 20% of women are undernourished. It is more common in rural areas due to unclear factors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of undernutrition in general and in subgroups and determine risk factors among pregnant women in rural Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from April 30 to May 30, 2019 on 550 pregnant women who were randomly selected from six districts in southern Ethiopia. Trained and experienced nurses measured undernutrition using mid-upper arm circumference and collected other data. We used multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression to identify factors associated with undernutrition among pregnant women. Results The prevalence of undernutrition among pregnant women was 38%; 95% CI: (34.2–42.3). The odds of undernutrition was higher among women who got pregnant previously (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.02–2.71), who had a history of miscarriage (AOR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.77–5.70), who practiced food taboos (AOR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.47–3.39) and who did not get any nutritional counseling during pregnancy (AOR: 2.97; 95% CI: 1.79–4.95). The prevalence of undernutrition among pregnant women who had multiple risk factors was estimated to be 95%, corresponding to an OR of 6.95 (95% CI: 0.80- 60.41). Conclusion The prevalence of undernutrition among pregnant women in rural Ethiopia was high. It was very high among women with multiple risk factors. Healthcare providers should be aware of the risk factors associated with undernutrition, and should be ready to intervene in these subgroups.