EFFECTS OF HEALTH INTERVENTIONS ON THE UTILIZATION OF NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY AS A PREVENTIVE STRATEGY AGAINST MATERNAL MORTALITY AMONG TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANTS IN KANO STATE NIGERIA

Maternal mortality remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria, with preventable causes such as poor maternal nutrition contributing significantly to pregnancy-related complications. Traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in Kano State often serve as primary maternal care providers but frequently lack adequate knowledge of proper nutrition during pregnancy. This study examined the effects of a health education intervention programme on the utilization of nutrition during pregnancy as a preventive strategy against maternal mortality among TBAs in Kano State. A quasi-experimental design with experimental and control groups was adopted, involving 100 TBAs selected through multistage sampling. The intervention consisted of a six-week structured health education programme, focusing on maternal and child nutrition, administered to the experimental group, while the control group continued routine activities. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire and analyzed with paired sample and independent t-tests at a 0.05 significance level. Results revealed a statistically significant improvement in the utilization of nutrition during pregnancy among TBAs in the experimental group, with post-intervention mean scores higher than pre-intervention scores p < 0.05; p < 0.05). Additionally, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher utilization and awareness of proper nutrition compared to the control group p < 0.05; p < 0.05). These findings indicate that health education interventions effectively enhance TBAs’ knowledge and practices regarding maternal nutrition. The study concludes that structured health education programmes are critical in improving nutrition utilization during pregnancy and can serve as a preventive strategy against maternal mortality. It is recommended that health authorities institutionalize regular nutrition-focused training for TBAs to sustain maternal and child health outcomes.