Efficacy Of Plumpy Nut In Improving Nutritional Status Of Hiv Positive Pregnant Women In Temeke Municipality

ABSTRACT

A six month study was done to investigate the efficacy of Plumpy nut in improving

nutritional status of 108 HIV positive pregnant women aged between 15-49 years

and who were attending Private and Government Reproductive and Child Health

(RCH) clinics at Temeke Municipality. Seventy three (73) subjects received

Plumpy nut made from Nutriset, France and thirty five (35) subjects received maize

meal made from Azam, Tanzania. The subjects who received Plumpy nut,

consumed a sachet of 92 g of Plumpy nut per day and those who received maize

meal, receive a 250 g of maize meal per day. Physical measurements of weight,

total body fat and MUAC, bio-chemical measurement (hemoglobin concentration)

and morbidity information were taken monthly; height was taken at baseline only.

Infant’s weight was taken at birth. A 24-hr dietary recall technique was used to

collect information on food consumption at baseline and at the end of the study.

Significant differences were observed in birth weight and mean daily intakes for

energy and fat between the subjects who received Plumpy nut and those who did

not receive it. Subjects who received Plumpy nut give birth to heavy babies

(p=0.000), higher intakes of energy (p=0.028) and fat (p=0.000). However, the

differences in maternal weight, MUAC, Total body fat and Haemoglobin

concentration between subjects during this study were not significant. This study

concludes that, the plumpynut product is effective in improving nutritional status of

HIV positive pregnant women and their infants. The Government and nongovernmental

organizations are called upon to improve the nutritional status of

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pregnant women living with HIV/AIDS by supporting them through nutritional

based initiatives if they are to produce healthy babies and breastfeed successfully.