UNDERWEIGHT AND ASSOCIATED CHARACTERISTICS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING THE BAÍA-FARTA MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CENTRE, ANGOLA

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate the proportion of underweight and identify associated characteristics among pregnant women attending the Baía-Farta Maternal and Child Health Centre, Angola. This observational, cross-sectional, analytical study used a quantitative approach and involved 188 pregnant women at 16–40 weeks of gestation, selected through convenience sampling. Data collection comprised a questionnaire with 31 closed-ended questions and anthropometric assessment. Nutritional status was classified using body mass index by gestational week, according to the criteria of Atalah et al. (1997). Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed, with calculation of odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Among the participants, 58 (30.9%) were underweight, 104 (55.3%) had adequate weight, 16 (8.5%) were overweight, and 10 (5.3%) had obesity. In the selected analyses, being single and having fewer than three pregnancies were associated with higher odds of underweight, whereas cohabitation, three to six pregnancies, and reported nutritional guidance during pregnancy were associated with lower odds. The findings underscore the relevance of individualized nutritional assessment during prenatal care. The cross-sectional design, non-probability sampling, and absence of adjusted analysis limit causal interpretation and generalizability.