Empowerment and Interprofessional Collaboration to Improve Maternal Nutrition

Summary

This research developed and tested a programme called "Power 4 a Healthy Pregnancy" (P4HP) that to help pregnant women eat better. Instead of just telling women what to eat, the programme empowers them to make their own informed food choices by building their confidence and decision-making skills. The study provided pregnant women with four additional conversations during their pregnancy (three with their midwife and one with a dietitian) to discuss nutrition. The midwives and dietitians used motivational interviewing techniques. Results showed that women in the programme improved their diet quality, especially their intake of vitamin D, iodine, and fish – all important for both maternal and baby health. The research also explored how partners can support healthy eating during pregnancy and examined nutritional support needs for new mothers after giving birth. This is significant because even small improvements in diet during pregnancy can have big health benefits for entire populations. This approach recognizes pregnant women as active participants in their own healthcare decisions, potentially leading to more effective and respectful maternal health interventions.