BACKGROUND: Anemia is a major public health problem among pregnant women in developing countries like Ethiopia. Nutritional deficiency related to anemia is an important contributor to maternal mortality and poor fetal outcomes.METHODS: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women to assess the prevalence of anemia and its association with dietary diversity in Hossana Town from March 15 to April 30, 2017. Systematic random sampling procedure was employed to select 314 study subjects. Data were collected using an interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire supplemented with laboratory tests. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the independent predictors of anemia.RESULTS: The prevalence of mild to moderate anemia among pregnant women was 56.6% and 40.8% respectively. The mean dietary diversity and food variety score of study participants were 7 and 22 respectively. Maternal education (AOR=10.5; 95% CI:2.2, 27), occupation of spouse (AOR=9.3; 95% CI:1.6, 53), nutrition education (AOR=2.5; 95% CI:1.5, 6.4) and dietary diversity (AOR=18.6; 95% CI: 4.4, 28) were significantly associated with anemia.CONCLUSION: Anemia was found to be a moderate public health problem in Hossana Town. Therefore, there is a need of nutrition education and promotion awareness on healthy diets to prevent anemia among pregnant women.

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Background: Dietary diversity refers to increasing the consumption of a variety of foods across and within the food groups, adequate and diversified diets during pregnancy is essential for fetus health, body maintenance and enhancement of maternal health through protection of infectious and non-communicable diseases. Hence, this study was targets to assess dietary diversity and its determinants among pregnant women of public health facilities in Hossana town, south Ethiopia Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study was applied among selected 303 pregnant women in Hossana town from June 1 to July 15, 2018. Systematic random sampling procedure was employed to recruit study participants. Data were collected using an interviewer administered pretested semi-structured questionnaire, one week dietary consumption was used to compute women dietary diversity score. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were done to isolate predictors of dietary diversity. Result: The prevalence of low, medium and high women’s dietary diversity was 9.2, 48.2 and 42.6% respectively. Educational status (AOR=2.1; 95%CI: 4.8, 15.2), monthly income (AOR=2.1; 95% CI: 4.8, 15.2), nutritional education (AOR=2.3; 95% CI: 1.2, 4.4) and frequency of eating (AOR=12.9; 95% CI: 3.1, 52) were meaningfully associated with women dietary diversity. Conclusions: In this study women educational status, monthly income, receiving nutritional education and frequency of eating were determinants of women dietary diversity. Efforts should be strengthened towards improving women educational level, delivery of nutritional education and enhance frequency of eating among pregnant women to advance dietary diversity. Keywords: Dietary diversity, Determinants, Pregnancy

Background: Sufficient maternal nutrition is paramount to ensure maternal and fetal wellbeing. It further determines the health of the offspring throughout the lifecycle and prevents adverse health outcomes of the upcoming generation. Therefore, dietary practice and nutritional status of pregnant women and contributing factors among pregnant women visiting antenatal care services at Mettu Karl Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia, were assessed. Methods: Facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2018. A systematic random sampling technique was employed to select 378 study participants. Data were collected via face to face interviews using semi-structured questionnaires. Women Dietary Diversity Score (WDDS) was measured using a qualitative 24- hr dietary recall and nutritional status was assessed by Mid-upper arm circumference measurements. Analyses were done using the statistical package of social science (SPSS version 20). Results: The prevalence of sub-optimal dietary practices was 22% and under-nutrition was 17.5%. Family size >5 [AOR=8.2, 95%CI: 12.383, 46.217] and severe food insecurity [AOR=3.661, 95%CI, 1.289, 10.394] were significantly associated with sub-optimal dietary practices. Being non married woman[AOR= 3.188, 95% CI: 1.219, 8.336], lack of formal education[AOR=9.405, 95%CI: 1.079, 81.943], lack of iron supplementation [AOR=3.189, 95%CI: 1.513, 6.720], WDDS <6 [AOR= 4.057, 95% CI: 2.157, 7.634], not taking additional meal (3+) [AOR=2.267, 95%CI: 1.211, 4.244], skipping meals [AOR=3.856, 95%CI: 1.099, 13.530) were significantly associated with under-nutrition. Conclusion and Recommendations: The present study revealed that there is a burden of suboptimal dietary practice and undernutrition among the studied participants. Predictors identified for suboptimal dietary practice were the family size and household food insecurity. Similarly, undernutrition was predicted by marital status, educational status, iron supplementation, additional meal intake, and meal skipping. Strategies should be designed at different levels by concerned bodies considering dietary practice and nutritional intake of pregnant women, with possible identified factors.

Background: Dietary diversity refers to increasing the consumption of a variety of foods across and within the food groups, adequate and diversified diets during pregnancy is essential for fetus health, body maintenance and enhancement of maternal health through protection of infectious and non-communicable diseases. Hence, this study was targets to assess dietary diversity and its determinants among pregnant women of public health facilities in Hossana town, south Ethiopia Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study was applied among selected 303 pregnant women in Hossana town from June 1 to July 15, 2018. Systematic random sampling procedure was employed to recruit study participants. Data were collected using an interviewer administered pretested semi-structured questionnaire, one week dietary consumption was used to compute women dietary diversity score. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were done to isolate predictors of dietary diversity. Result: The prevalence of low, medium and high women’s dietary diversity was 9.2, 48.2 and 42.6% respectively. Educational status (AOR=2.1; 95%CI: 4.8, 15.2), monthly income (AOR=2.1; 95% CI: 4.8, 15.2), nutritional education (AOR=2.3; 95% CI: 1.2, 4.4) and frequency of eating (AOR=12.9; 95% CI: 3.1, 52) were meaningfully associated with women dietary diversity. Conclusions: In this study women educational status, monthly income, receiving nutritional education and frequency of eating were determinants of women dietary diversity. Efforts should be strengthened towards improving women educational level, delivery of nutritional education and enhance frequency of eating among pregnant women to advance dietary diversity. Keywords: Dietary diversity, Determinants, Pregnancy