Browsing by Author "Tayie, F.A.K."

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Effects of pregnancy sickness on infant-weight and maternal weight-gain among Ghanaian women
(Ecology of Food Nutrition, 2001-08) Tayie, F.A.K.; Lartey, A.; Asibey-Berko, E.
This study sought to assess the relationship between nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and infant birth-weight and maternal weight-gain. A cohort of 502 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Accra participated in the study. A sub-sample of 128 pregnant women participated in a longitudinal study that involved assessment of maternal weight-gain during pregnancy. The heights and weights of those in this subsample were measured in the first trimester followed by monthly measurements of their weights when they visited the antenatal clinics for care. During this time, information on nausea and vomiting were obtained by interview. The observed prevalence of nausea (loss of appetite with salivation and vomiting) among the pregnant women was 73.31%. Pregnant women who lost appetite with vomiting generally had infants of mean birth-weight significantly lower (p<0.05) than those who did not (2.87 kg±0.39 vs 3.21 kg±0.57, respectively). The mean pregnancy weight-gain of the mothers also followed a similar trend (10.16 kg±1.71 vs 11.05 kg±1.49). Subjects who vomited for more than three months had significantly lower pregnancy weight-gain and infant birth-weight (p<0.05) than those who never vomited or vomited for a lesser extent. There was a significant negative association between birth-weight and nausea r = -0.090 (p < 0.040, n = 502) and between birth-weight and months of vomiting, r = -0.073 (p < 0.030, n = 502). These findings show that nausea and vomiting during pregnancy are associated with a decrease in infant birth-weight and maternal weight-gain. These observations underscore the need for special care for pregnant women who experience nausea and vomiting.
Nutritional Habits of Pregnant Ghanaian Women and Effects on Pregnancy Outcome
(University of Ghana, 1995-10) Tayie, F.A.K.; Anika L.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Food Science
Reduction of infant and maternal mortality is a part of the WHO/UNICEF goals set in 1991 to be achieved by the year 2000. Maternal and infant mortality can be reduced by ensuring favourable outcome of pregnancy. This study sought to assess the effects of nutrition and health habits of pregnant women on pregnancy outcome. A total of 502 pregnant women attending ante-natal clinics in the Greater Accra region participated in an epidemiological study, which involved a study of food habits, pica practice, alcohol intake, parity, preference for infant size at birth, ante-natal care, oedema and nausea during pregnancy. A sub-sample of 128 pregnant women participated in a longitudinal study which assessed maternal nutrient intake, height, weight gain and nutrient supplementation during pregnancy, infant birth-weight and maternal haemoglobin levels. Results showed that women who experienced nausea during pregnancy had infants of lower birth-weights. Oedema was present in about 40% of the women and this correlated with higher birth-weights. Mothers who have had three or four previous pregnancies had infants of higher birth-weights than nulliparous (first-delivery) mothers and those with seven or more previous pregnancies. Pregnant women who received ante-natal care in the first trimester had infants of higher birth weight than those who received it in the second or third trimesters. About 48% of the pregnant women practiced pica. Eating clay was the major form of pica among the pregnant women. It correlated negatively with maternal haemoglobin level but had no effect on infant birth weight and maternal weight-gain. The prevalence of alcohol intake among the pregnant women was 9.36%. A substantial number- 62.35%, of the subjects avoided some kind of food during the pregnancy. Majority of the women, 72.71%, did not increase their dietary intake during pregnancy. Dietary intakes were lower where nausea occurred. To avoid difficult labour, 40.60% of mothers preferred small infants, and about 10% of these mothers reduced their food intake in order to achieve this. Among the 502 pregnant women, the prevalence of low birth-weight delivery was 8.4%. In the longitudinal study, maternal weight-gain and haemoglobin levels were lower for women who experienced nausea. Maternal height was positively associated with infant birth-weight and maternal weight-gain. The average maternal weight-gain of the 128 mothers was 10.531 ± 1.681kg. Mothers who have had three or four previous pregnancies had higher maternal weight-gain than nulliparous mothers and those with seven or more previous pregnancies. Oedema had no significant effect on maternal weight-gain. The daily intakes of energy, and iron were lower than the recommended amounts for pregnant women. However mean protein intake met the recommended allowance. Energy and protein intakes had positive effects on infant birth-weight and maternal weight-gain. High dietary iron intake was associated with high maternal weight-gain and haemoglobin level but had no effect on infant birth weight. Mineral and vitamin supplementation during pregnancy had:little effect on overall haemoglobin levels of the mothers. It however helped mothers to have infants of higher birth-weight. The mean monthly maternal haemoglobin level was 11.503 ± 0.603g/dl. (WHO standard for pregnant women: ll.Og/dl; Tomkins and Watson, 1991) From the total of 12 8 pregnant women, about 2 0% were anaemic throughout pregnancy. Recommendations include the need for early ante-natal care for pregnant women, education against the practice of pica, intensification of mass education on good nutrition and health practices, during pregnancy and the need for more health posts to encourage ante-natal attendance..
Pica Practice among Pregnant Ghanaians: Relationship with Infant Birth-Weight and Maternal HaemogloLin Level
(Ghana Medical Journal, 1999-06) Tayie, F.A.K.; Lartey, A.
In this study the pica habit of 502 pregnant women were studied. II was found that 48.01% of the pregnant women had pica habit. Clay eating was the major form of pica practised by the pregnant women (28 .49%). Some of them also chewed wooden-sponge or wooden-stick (9.76%) more frequently. However a few of the pregnant women chewed cola nut (4.98%). uncooked maize dough (2.79%). chalk (1.20%). and fresh starch (0.80%). Multiple pica was not observed among our study population. Two main reasons were given by the pregnant women for eating cJay. One was to prevent salivation or vomiting (16.14%) while the other was because they liked its flavour (12.35%). Clay eating Significantly correlated with maternal haemoglobin concentration (r = -0.32). Pregnant women who ate clay had a Significantly lower mean haemoglobin concentration (11 .05 ± 0.59g/dl) than women who did not eat day (11.86 ± 0.49gfdl; p