SynthesisPloS one2019
Burden and determinants of malnutrition among pregnant women in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 79 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
79 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 175 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effect of nutrition education and counseling on the nutritional status of pregnant women in Ethiopia, 2025: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of health, population, and nutrition · 2025Pooled it
- Preventing malnutrition within the first 1000 days of life in under-resourced communities: An integrative literature review.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and community · 2024Pooled it
- Undernutrition and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia. A systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Pooled it
- Dietary knowledge, attitude, practice, and associated factors among pregnant mothers in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2024Pooled it
- Food Insecurity and Health Outcomes Other than Malnutrition in Southern Africa: A Descriptive Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2022Pooled it
- Intestinal parasitic infections and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2021Pooled it
- Dietary diversity among pregnant women and associated factors in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2021Pooled it
- Effect of nutrition education integrating the health belief model and theory of planned behavior during pregnancy on gestational weight gain and birth weight in Southeast Ethiopia using complex analyses.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Trial
- Trial
- Under nutrition and associated factors among pregnant women residing in productive safety net program beneficiary and nonbeneficiary households in West Belesa District, northwest Ethiopia.AJOG global reports · 2026Article
- Associated factors with nutrient intake and nutritional status of HIV positive breastfeeding mothers in apac district: a cross-sectional study.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Magnitude of Additional Meal Consumption and Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Care at Aleta Wondo Primary Hospital, Sidama Region, Ethiopia.TheScientificWorldJournal · 2026Article
- The Prevalence and Associated Factors of Underweight, Overweight and Obesity Among Somali Women: Evidence from Somali Health and Demographic Survey 2020.International journal of women's health · 2026Article
- Article
- Prevalence and its associated factors of inadequate dietary diversity among pregnant women attending antenatal care in selected public health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Minimum Dietary Diversity and Its Associated Factors Among Pregnant Mothers in Bure District Public Health Facility, North West Ethiopia.Food science & nutrition · 2025Article
- Understanding decision-making around human and livestock health in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic literature review.Dialogues in health · 2025Review
- Effectiveness of the support program of providing food baskets for needy undernourished pregnant and lactating mothers in Iran: a case study of population level intervention.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2025Article
- Cash transfer program on pregnancy outcomes and infant growth in deprived pregnant and lactating mothers in iran: a field trial.BMC public health · 2025Article
19 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMalnutrition in pregnancy remains unacceptably high across all regions of Africa though promising progresses have been made globally. Primary studies might not be sufficient to portrait a comprehensive picture of malnutrition during pregnancy and its main risk factors. Therefore, we intended to review the burden of malnutrition, for this specific review implies to protein energy malnutrition, during pregnancy in Africa to present its magnitude and determinant factors.
methodsWe did a systematic review of observational studies published from January 1/2008 to January 31/2018. The CINAHL(EBSCO), MEDLINE (via Ovid), Emcare, PubMed databases and Google scholar were searched. Articles quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and studies with fair to good quality were included. We pooled malnutrition prevalence and an odds ratio estimates for risk factors after checking for heterogeneity and publication bias. This review has been registered in Prospero with a protocol number CRD42018114949.
result23 studies involving 20,672 pregnant women were included. Using a random effect model, the overall pooled prevalence of malnutrition among pregnant women in Africa was 23.5% (95%CI: 17.72-29.32; I2 = 98.5%). Based on the current review pooled odds ratio finding; rural residency (POR = 2.6%; 95%CI: 1.48-4.65; I2 = 0%), low educational status of partners (POR = 1.7%; 95%CI: 1.19-2.53; I2 = 54.8%), multiple pregnancy (POR = 2.15%; 95%CI: 1.27-3.64; I2 = 0%) and poor nutritional indicators (POR = 2.03%; 95%CI: 1.72-2.4, I2 = 0%) were positively determine maternal malnutrition. On contrary, better household economic status (POR = 0.47%; 95%CI: 0.36-0.62; I2 = 24.2%) negatively determine maternal malnutrition.
conclusionA significant number of the pregnant population in Africa are suffering of malnutrition, above 10% of the standard acceptable malnutrition rate. Thus, efforts should be renewed to ensure a proper and widespread implementation of programs that would address issues identified in the current review to reduce the burden of malnutrition.
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Registered trials
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