Diet during pregnancy: Women's knowledge of and adherence to food safety guidelines

Background: As a precaution against acquiring food-borne illnesses, guidelines recommend women avoid some foods during pregnancy. Aims: To examine among women receiving antenatal care: (i) level of knowledge and self-reported adherence to guidelines about foods that should be avoided during pregnancy; and (ii) associated socio-demographic characteristics. Methods: Women attending a public outpatient clinic who were: pregnant or had recently given birth; 18 years or older; able to complete an English language survey with minimal assistance; and had at least one prior antenatal appointment for their current pregnancy, were asked to complete a cross-sectional survey. Results: In total 223 women (64% consent rate) participated. Knowledge of foods to avoid during pregnancy was poor, with 83% of women incorrectly identifying at least one unsafe food as safe to consume. The average knowledge score for foods to avoid during pregnancy was 7.9 (standard deviation = 3.4; median = 9; interquartile range: 6-11; n = 218) out of a possible score of 12. Having more general practice (GP) visits for antenatal care and fewer tertiary antenatal visits were significantly associated with higher knowledge. Women with a higher number of GP visits and those receiving care in a high-risk clinic were more likely to be adherent to guidelines. Conclusions: The majority of pregnant women have poor knowledge of food avoidance guidelines and continue to consume foods that put them at risk.