Some nutritional aspects of pregnancy in rural Kenya.

In January 1978 a longitudinal study of pregnant women was begun in rural Machakos Kenya in order to assess the relationship between food intake and nutritional status during pregnancy; outcome of pregnancy; lactation performance; and growth of the child during the first 2-3 years of life. Of a potential 1000 pregnancies 881 women were seen at least once and 97 women were examined 3 times. The weight gain during pregnancy was compared with that of middle and middle upper class urban pregnant women. The mean height of Machakos women was 156.4 cm and of the urban women 156.9 cm. Average weight gain during the second 1/2 of the pregnancy was 1.9 kg in rural and 1.6 kg in urban women as compared with 2.9 kg of a calculated standard. The average weight gain from 3.8 months until the end of pregnancy was 3.2 kg for rural women; according to the standard this should have been 6.6 kg. Total weight gain during pregnancy of rural women is about 6.4 kg (12.3%) of pregravid weight; urban women gained 7.9 kg or 13.1% of their pregaravid weight. In spite of the low weight gain the incidence of low birth weight was only 6.5%. The average newborn (rural) weighed 3190 g and the average urban newborn weighed 3266 g. (Authors modified)