Socioeconomic and Antenatal Care Determinants of Iron Supplementation, Vitamin A Supplementation, and Dietary Diversity: Evidence from PDHS-7 Data: Antenatal Care Determinants of Iron, Vitamin A, and Dietary Diversity: PDHS-7 Data

Sumair Raza; Laiba Shahbaz; Rubail Ijaz; Ushma Sadaqat

doi:10.54393/pbmj.v9i5.1375

Authors

Sumair Raza Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Laiba Shahbaz Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Rubail Ijaz Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
Ushma Sadaqat Department of Emergency Medicine, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pbmj.v9i5.1375

Keywords:

Dietary Diversity, Dietary Supplements, Prenatal Care, Socioeconomic Factors, Pregnancy

Abstract

Maternal nutrition in pregnancy is important for maternal and child health outcomes. Poor iron and vitamin A status and the inadequate consumption of dietary diversity are widespread in low- and middle-income countries despite the use of supplementation programs worldwide. Objectives: To evaluate the level of maternal nutritional supplementation, dietary diversity, and their association with sociodemographic variables and the utilization of antenatal care among women. Methods: This retrospective secondary data analysis was conducted from January to March 2026 using data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2017–18 (Phase 7).The sample consisted of 150 women of reproductive age. Analysis was done with R 4.6.1, with the use of Spearman correlations, chi-square tests, binary logistic regression, and linear regression with survey weights. Results: Adequate iron supplementation, vitamin A supplementation, and higher dietary diversity scores were best predicted by education and household wealth (AOR: 3.44 for higher education, 3.67 for the richest wealth quintile, and β: 0.97 for higher education, respectively). The odds of supplementation adequacy were more than doubled for ANC attendance (2.24 iron). There was no significant difference in supplementation adequacy between women who reported being pregnant and those who were not. There was no significant difference in supplementation adequacy between rural and urban residents. Conclusions: There is a very strong relationship between maternal nutrition and socioeconomic determinants such as education and wealth, and this shows the need for an equity-based intervention to be targeted at disadvantaged women as well as enhanced nutrition counselling during all antenatal care services.

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