Articles

Food beliefs and practices during pregnancy in Northern Ghana: Implications for nutrition counseling

Abubakari, Abdulai; Jahn, Albrecht; Beiersmann, Claudia

Cultural practices and beliefs are important factors that could influence a woman’s dietary choices during pregnancy. We investigated food beliefs among pregnant women in Northern Ghana. In-depth interviews were conducted with thirty women, selected from three districts. We describe food beliefs regarding ‘recommended’ and ‘prohibited’ foods during pregnancy. There was a general agreement among participants about the recommended foods but not on the prohibited foods. For example, for some banana was regarded as prohibited, while for others it was recommended. Hypersensitivity to smell was attributed to nausea, vomiting and spiting and was largely the most important factor that could modify dietary habits of those who experienced it. Pregnancy is a sensitive phase and thus requires critical care and attention. Therefore, individualized counseling during antenatal clinics instead of the ongoing mass education is recommended as this will help address conditions peculiar to individual pregnancies.

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Also Published In

Title
The Columbia University Journal of Global Health
DOI
https://doi.org/10.52214/thecujgh.v9i2.6436

More About This Work

Academic Units
Columbia College
Published Here
August 29, 2022

Notes

Northern Ghana, beliefs, food, knowledge, pregnancy, qualitative