Change in the quality of diet during pregnancy in comparison with WHO and EU recommendations--environmental and sociodemographic conditions

Abstract

The organism of a pregnant woman constitutes the environment for the developing embryo. The outside world influencing the mother's organism affects not only her health but also her unborn baby's health. The aim of the work is to analyze the qualitative changes in pregnant women's diet and to specify the sociodemographic and environmental conditions determining the quality of the diet. The research was carried out among 150 pregnant women who came to randomly chosen antenatal clinics in Lublin. The tool used for research was a personally designed questionnaire. The average consumption of particular groups of products was counted. Pregnant women not only increased the amount of food they consumed but they also changed the proportions. Despite the fact that the consumption of diary products was still too much, their role significantly decreased (2.40). Women also cut down on fruit in comparison with other products (2.76). However, the amounts of meat (1.30), vegetables (4.26) and crop products (4.29) rose. Moreover, place of living impacted on the frequency of the consumption of vegetables and education--of diary products.