Background: Iron deficiency anaemia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality of pregnant women and increases the risks of foetal, neonatal and infant mortality. Nutritional education, with special emphasis on strategies based on locally available food stuffs to improve the dietary intake of proteins and iron is important during pregnancy. This study aimed to evaluate diet behaviour of pregnant woman with iron deficiency anaemia before and after the implementation of educational intervention based trans-theoretical model of change. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was utilized. Setting: The study was conducted at obstetrics and gynecology outpatient clinic affiliated to Benha teaching hospital. A purposive sample of 73 pregnant women were included in the current study. Two tools were used for data collection; first tool interviewing questionnaire to collect data about the subjects' socio-demographic data, medical and obstetric history and knowledge regarding iron deficiency anemia. Second tool; the trans-theoretical model of behavior change questionnaire, it composed of the four main constructs that are stage of change, self-efficacy, decisional balance (pros and cons), experiential and behavioral process of change. Results: There were highly statistically significant differences (P<.001) regarding to pregnant women' knowledge, and trans-theoretical model constructs include self-efficacy, decisional balance (pros, cons), experiential and behavioral processes of change after the intervention based trans-theoretical model as compared to before. Also, 24.7% of the pregnant women were free from anemia after intervention based transtheoretical model.
Conclusion and recommendation:The application of trans-theoretical model of behavior change was effective in improving pregnant women's knowledge and diet behavior regarding iron deficiency anemia. The nurse should implement educational intervention based on trans-theoretical for anaemic pregnant women regarding diet behaviour modification.