Antenatal care utilization and nutrition counseling are strongly associated with infant and young child feeding knowledge among rural/semi-urban women in Harari region, Eastern Ethiopia

Aklilu Abrham Roba; Assefa Tola; Desta Dugassa; Maleda Tefera; Tadese Gure; Teshager Worku; Awugchew Teshome Ayele; Tamirat Tesfaye Dasa; Hailemariam Mekonnen Workie; Melese Mengistu Asfaw; Abiyot Asfaw; Firehiwot Mesfin; Lemma Demissie Regassa; Yadeta Dessie; Fitsum Abera; Meron Yeshitila; Meskerem Girma; Muluken Gezahagn; Feven Tezera; Nega Assefa; Kedir Teji Roba

doi:10.3389/fped.2022.1013051

Antenatal care utilization and nutrition counseling are strongly associated with infant and young child feeding knowledge among rural/semi-urban women in Harari region, Eastern Ethiopia

Front Pediatr. 2022 Sep 29:10:1013051. doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.1013051. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Aklilu Abrham Roba¹, Assefa Tola¹, Desta Dugassa², Maleda Tefera¹, Tadese Gure¹, Teshager Worku¹, Awugchew Teshome Ayele³, Tamirat Tesfaye Dasa⁴, Hailemariam Mekonnen Workie⁵, Melese Mengistu Asfaw⁶, Abiyot Asfaw¹, Firehiwot Mesfin¹, Lemma Demissie Regassa¹, Yadeta Dessie¹, Fitsum Abera⁷, Meron Yeshitila¹, Meskerem Girma⁵, Muluken Gezahagn⁷, Feven Tezera⁷, Nega Assefa¹, Kedir Teji Roba¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
² Haramaya Institute of Technology, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
³ College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
⁴ College of Health Science, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
⁵ College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
⁶ College of Agriculture and Natural Resource, Wolkite University, Wolkite, Ethiopia.
⁷ College of Agriculture, Haramaya University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.

Abstract

There is a gap in evidence linking antenatal care (ANC) utilization, nutrition counseling, and knowledge of pregnant women about infant and young child feeding (IYCF), particularly in low-income settings. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the association between ANC follow-up and nutrition counseling with IYCF knowledge. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 390 pregnant women in the rural kebeles of the Harari region from January to June 2019. Data were collected using face-to-face interviews on tablet computers. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were employed. An adjusted odds ratio (with 95% CI) was used to determine the strength of association between IYCF knowledge with ANC follow-up and nutrition counseling by adjusting for educational status, occupation, gravida, and distance to the nearest health center. Overall, 54.4% [95% CI 49.2, 59.2] of currently pregnant women were knowledgeable about IYCF of which only 20% started ANC follow-up and 24.4% received nutrition counseling. Out of 288 multigravida women, only 51.4% had ANC follow-up during their last pregnancy. In the adjusted model, ANC follow-up during the current pregnancy (AOR 1.85, 95% CI 1.07-3.22), those who received nutrition counseling (AOR 1.92, 95% CI 1.09-3.38), literate in education (AOR 1.71, 95% CI 1.07-2.73), multigravida (AOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.12-3.43), and far from the nearest health center (AOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.93-0.97) were significantly associated with the mothers IYCF knowledge. Thus, health care providers should encourage mothers to attend ANC during pregnancy and provide nutrition counseling about the IYCF.

Keywords: antenatal follow up; infant and young child feeding; knowledge; nutrition counseling; pregnant women.