title: Effects of nutrition education on levels of nutritional awareness of pregnant women in Western iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal nutritional health, before and during pregnancy, influences the health status of herself and her developing fetus. Pregnancy is an important condition for improving nutritional knowledge.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed at determining effects of nutrition education on levels of nutritional awareness of a representative group of pregnant women in Western Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quasi-experimental intervention was undertaken on a random sample of pregnant women (n = 100) attending urban health centers in Ilam city (western Iran) during the year 2011 for prenatal care. A nutritional education program containing two to four lessons was undertaken for small groups of between six to ten women. Nutritional knowledge was assessed before intervention (pretest) and followed by two posttests within three weeks interval.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The awareness level of pregnant women about healthy nutrition was significantly increased from 3% before intervention to 31% after the nutritional education intervention (P < 0.001). This significant difference was independent from maternal characteristics of age and levels of literacy and in obese mothers in particular.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A nutritional education intervention will have a positive effect on nutritional awareness of pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Research Center, School of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Farnoush
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fallah
authors.affiliation: Medical Education Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pourabbas
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Prevention of Psychosocial Injuries, Research Centre, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delpisheh
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Prevention of Psychosocial Injuries, Research Centre, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Veisani
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutritional Researches, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shadnoush
keywords: Awareness; Health Education; Pregnancy