Abstract :
Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) during pregnancy has been associated with multiple adverse outcomes of pregnancy like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, low birth weight, preterm delivery, and cesarean section. Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is higher in females especially during pregnancy, breast feeding & child bearing age. Studies have reported VDD during pregnancy ranging from 14% to more than ninety percent in our country. Several factors like age, nutrition, socio-cultural practices, geographical conditions etc. contribute to vitamin D deficiency. The lack of awareness about vitamin D is one of the biggest factors.
Objective: To assess the level of awareness about Vitamin D and its relation to pregnancy among pregnant ladies.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 280 pregnant females using a self administered questionnaire. The awareness level of participants was labeled as Poor, Average & Good according to the marks obtained. Statistical analysis was done using Excel Analysis Toolpak.
Results: The age of participants ranged from 19 years to 34 years (mean 24.85 ± 2.98). Majority of the participants were in the age group 20-25 years (66.79%). Most of the participants were living in rural areas (77.5%) while 22.5% belonged to urban areas. The mean score of all the participants was 6.25 with SD 2.29. Educational status showed a linear relationship with the awareness level.
Conclusion: There is a lack of awareness about vitamin D. Awareness campaigns will reduce vit-D deficiency and improve pregnancy outcomes.
Keyword :
Assessment, Awareness, Pregnancy, Relation, Vitamin D, Women.