Cultural Beliefs and Perceptions of Maternal Diet and Weight Gain during Pregnancy and Postpartum Family Planning in Egypt

Publish Date: April 2014
Author: MCHIP
Language: English

This operations research study addressed the following four objectives:

1. Identify gaps and positive aspects of infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices through the application of the Trials for Improved Practices (TIPs) methodology with Egyptian mothers;
2. Understand cultural beliefs, perceptions, behaviors, and motivating factors that may facilitate or act as a barrier to optimal IYCF practices and how these factors may explain the rise in stunting in Lower Egypt, including perceptions related to maternal diet, weight gain, and birth spacing;
3. Ascertain the role of grandmothers, fathers, and health care providers in IYCF; and
4. Examine changes in growth perceived by mothers, other caretakers, and health care providers resulting from the avian influenza outbreak within the context of the rise in stunting in Lower Egypt during the previous 5–6 years.

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MCHIP Maternal Diet Stunting Study Report.pdf	833.56 KB