Levels and Correlates of Non-Adherence to WHO Recommended Inter-Birth Intervals in Rufiji, Tanzania.

Poorly spaced pregnancies have been documented worldwide to result in adverse maternal and child health outcomes. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum inter-birth interval of 33 months between two consecutive live births in order to reduce the risk of adverse maternal and child health outcomes. However, birth spacing practices in many developing countries, including Tanzania, remain scantly addressed. METHODS: Longitudinal data collected in the Rufiji Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) from January 1999 to December 2010 were analyzed to investigate birth spacing practices among women of childbearing age. The outcome variable, non-adherence to the minimum inter-birth interval, constituted all inter-birth intervals <33 months long. Inter-birth intervals >=33 months long were considered to be adherent to the recommendation. Chi-Square was used as a test of association between non-adherence and each of the explanatory variables. Factors affecting non-adherence were identified using a multilevel logistic model. Data analysis was conducted using STATA (11) statistical software. RESULTS: A total of 15,373 inter-birth intervals were recorded from 8,980 women aged 15--49 years in Rufiji district over the follow-up period of 11 years. The median inter-birth interval was 33.4 months. Of the 15,373 inter-birth intervals, 48.4% were below the WHO recommended minimum length of 33 months between two live births. Non-adherence was associated with younger maternal age, low maternal education, multiple births of the preceding pregnancy, non-health facility delivery of the preceding birth, being an in-migrant resident, multi-parity and being married. CONCLUSION: Generally, one in every two inter-birth intervals among 15--49 year-old women in Rufiji district is poorly spaced, with significant variations by socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics of mothers and newborns. Maternal, newborn and child health services should be improved with a special emphasis on community- and health facility-based optimum birth spacing education in order to enhance health outcomes of mothers and their babies, especially in rural settings

Duration and determinants of birth interval among women of child bearing age in Southern Ethiopia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Longer intervals between consecutive births decrease the number of children a woman can have. This results in beneficial effects on population size and on the health status of mothers and children. Therefore, understanding the practice of birth interval and its determinants is helpful to design evidence based strategies for interventions. The objective of this study was to determine duration and determinants of birth interval among women of child bearing age in Lemo district, southern Ethiopia in March 2010.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A community based cross sectional study design with stratified multistage sampling technique was employed. A sample of 844 women of child bearing age were selected by using simple random sampling technique after complete census was conducted in selected kebeles prior to data collection. Structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Actual birth interval was measured with the respondents' memory since majority of the women or their children in the area had no birth certificate.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Majority (57%) of women were practicing short birth interval length with the median birth interval length of 33 months. Actual birth interval length is significantly shorter than preferred birth interval length. Birth interval showed significant variation by contraceptive use, residence, wealth index, breast feeding and occupation of husbands.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>low proportion of optimal birth spacing practices with short actual birth interval length and longer preferred birth interval lengths were evident among the study subjects. Hence interventions to enhance contraceptive utilization behaviors among women in Lemo district would be helpful to narrow the gap between optimal and actual birth spacing.</p

Evaluation of nutritional composition, functional and pasting properties of pearl millet, teff, and buckwheat grain composite flour

Injera, bread, and other baked Ethiopian foods are typically made from a single cereal grain, which is insufficient to meet the nutritional requirements of all age groups. Enrichment of cereal with easily affordable cereals and pseudocereals that have superior nutritional value is an important approach to producing nutrient-dense food products. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional composition, phytochemical content, functional and pasting properties of teff, pearl millet, and buckwheat composite flour. The design used during the conducting of the experiment was a completely randomized design (CRD). The nutritional composition, functional and pasting properties of composite flour were determined using standard procedures. The resulting composite flour from the study contained protein of 8.59–9.94 %, crude fat of 3.70–5.40 %, crude fiber of 2.28–2.62 %, total ash of 1.86–2.28 %, carbohydrate of 71.80–74.90 % and energy of 367.24–375.88 kcal/100 g. The mineral content (mg/100 g) ranged from 8.64 to 11.12, 72.82–93.14, and 1.32–1.74 iron, calcium, and zinc, respectively. Functional properties of composite flours such as bulk density (BD), water absorption index (WAI), and water solubility index (WSI) ranged from 555.08 to 596.23 kg/m, 2.12–2.18 g/g and 6.63–7.00 % respectively. The highest and lowest total phenolic content values were observed in composite flour of 10 % pear millet,70 % teff, and 20 % buckwheat (110.42 mg GAE/100 g) and composite flour of 40 % pear millet,55 % teff, and 5 % buckwheat (101.42 mg GAE/100 g), respectively. The addition of pearl millet and buckwheat flours to teff flour significantly (p ˂ 0.05) increases the functional and pasting properties of composite flour. Pasting properties of composite flours contained peak viscosity ranging from 1454 to 2071cP, trough viscosity 619–883cP, breakdown viscosity 835–1188cP, setback viscosity 1127–1483cP, pasting temperature 73.77–75.10 °C, and peak time 5.22–5.27 min. Pearl millet, buckwheat, and teff are three gluten-free grains that are increasingly being used in industrial applications. Teff, pearl millet, and buckwheat composite flour are all high in nutrients, and they offer a variety of health benefits. Blending these three grains can create a nutritious and delicious product that is also gluten-free. This study found that composite flour made from 70 % teff, 20 % buckwheat, and 10 % pearl millet has improved nutritional properties and could be used to make healthier food products in the food industry