Investigating the Awareness of Nutrition and Its Effects on Expectant Mothers in Selected Hospitals in the Greater Kumasi, Ghana

Appropriate nutrition is essential for the health of the mother and foetus during delivery and breastfeeding. However, there is a scarcity of information on the awareness of nutrition and its effects among expectant mothers in Greater Kumasi, hence, the objective of the study. The researchers employed the mixed methods design for the study. The target population of this study consisted of expectant mothers who attended antenatal services between May and July 2014 at Tafo and Suntreso government hospitals and nurses at the same hospitals. Questionnaire was used to collect relevant information from expectant mothers while the interview guide was meant for the nurses. Quota and convenience sampling techniques was used to select 50 expectant mothers and five senior nurses from each of the hospitals who gave consent to participate in the study. Frequencies and percentages were used to report the findings from the quantitative data. The Statistical Package for Service Solutions (SPSS) Windows version 16.0 software was used for the data analysis and results put into dabbles and charts. The study revealed that the level of nutritional knowledge of expectant mothers in Greater Kumasi was moderate. Thirty-five Percent (35%) of the mothers perceived the importance of nutritive diets to be for health accomplishment and to become strong to support the foetus. It was recommended that expectant mothers should be urged to eat a well-balanced diet by their husbands, relatives, nurses, and other medical personnel.