Dietary vitamin A intakes among pregnant women attending antenatal care in health facilities in Dessie Town, North East Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Vitamin A plays an important role in vision, cellular differentiation, embryonic development, reproduction, growth and the immune system. Women who live in developing countries face a risk of undernutrition during pregnancy as a result of poverty, poor diet quality and quantity, and a high fertility rate. This poor dietary problem could reflect the high risk of vitamin A deficiency in women. The present study aimed to determine the adequacy of vitamin A among pregnant women following antenatal care in health facilities of Dessie Town, Ethiopia, January 2017. METHODS: Health facility‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted among 390 women who attended antenatal care in Dessie Town. Food groups from the Food and Agriculture Organization based on 24‐h dietary recall were used to measure dietary intake of vitamin A and dietary diversity of women. Adequacy of vitamin A was determined from the nutrient adequacy ratio after obtaining reports of nutrient intake from food composition tables version III and IV in terms of B carotene and retinol equivalent, respectively, based on the estimated average requirement recommendation of vitamin A, 370 retinol equivalent day⁻¹ for pregnant women. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify associated factors of vitamin A adequacy. RESULTS: Adequacy of vitamin A among pregnant women was 41.8%, with an average nutrient adequacy ratio of 0.9. The mean dietary intake of vitamin A was 290.1 µg day–¹. The predictors for adequacy of vitamin A were high and medium women diversity scores (adjusted odds ratio = 2.92; 95% confidence interval = 1.50–5.70) and (adjusted odds ratio = 1.87; 95% confidence interval = 1.11–3.16). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, adequacy of vitamin A was low and was affected by the dietary diversity score. A focus on food‐based approaches, especially regarding educating pregnant women to diversify their diet, is crucial for reducing the risk of vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A is crucial micronutrient for the health of women and fetus, being essential for morphological, ocular and functional developments, as well as fetal organ and skeletal growth. Its requirement is greater during pregnancy and its deficiencies lead to maternal and child mortality and development. The dietary intake of vitamin A among pregnant women remains below the current recommendation. Inadequate intake of vitamin A Pregnant women Heath facility Dessie, Ethiopia