Researchers in Bangladesh wanted to understand if pregnant women who received good prenatal care had children who ate healthier foods. They studied data from thousands of families and found that mothers who had at least 4 doctor visits during pregnancy were more likely to feed their children a variety of nutritious foods. This suggests that prenatal care visits are a great opportunity for doctors to teach mothers about proper nutrition for babies starting solid foods. The study shows that good healthcare during pregnancy can have lasting benefits for children’s eating habits and health.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether pregnant women who received complete prenatal care (doctor visits, skilled birth help, and follow-up care) had children who ate better and more varied foods when starting solid foods.
  • Who participated: Nearly 5,000 families from Bangladesh with children aged 6 to 23 months. Data came from two national health surveys conducted in 2017-2018 and 2022.
  • Key finding: Mothers who received the full package of prenatal care were about 30% more likely to feed their children a variety of healthy foods. Mothers with 4 or more prenatal doctor visits were 23-34% more likely to feed their children adequate meals with diverse foods.
  • What it means for you: If you’re pregnant or planning to be, attending all recommended doctor visits may help you learn better ways to feed your baby when they start eating solid foods. This is especially important in developing countries where nutrition education during pregnancy can make a real difference in child health.

The Research Details

Researchers looked at information from two large national health surveys in Bangladesh that included thousands of families. They compared mothers who received complete prenatal care (at least 4 doctor visits, delivery with a trained birth attendant, and a check-up within 48 hours after birth) with mothers who didn’t receive all these services. They then looked at what foods these mothers were feeding their children aged 6 to 23 months—the age when babies start eating solid foods alongside breast milk.

The study examined four main feeding practices: whether children started solid foods at the right age, whether they ate enough meals per day, whether they ate a variety of different food groups, and whether they met a minimum acceptable diet (a combination of eating enough and eating variety). The researchers used statistical tests to see if there were real differences between the two groups of mothers.

This research design is important because it uses real-world data from actual families rather than a controlled experiment. This helps us understand what happens in everyday life. By looking at two surveys from different years, researchers could see if the patterns stayed the same over time, which makes the findings more trustworthy.

The study used data from nationally representative surveys, meaning the families studied represent the whole country of Bangladesh. The large sample size (nearly 5,000 families) makes the results more reliable. However, because this is a cross-sectional study (a snapshot in time), we can’t be completely certain that prenatal care caused better feeding practices—other factors could be involved. The researchers did try to account for other important factors like family wealth and mother’s education.

What the Results Show

Mothers who received the complete package of prenatal care were significantly more likely to feed their children foods with good variety and adequate nutrition. Specifically, they were 29% more likely to meet minimum dietary diversity (eating foods from different groups) and 32% more likely to meet minimum acceptable diet standards.

When looking at just the prenatal doctor visits (at least 4 visits), the benefits were even clearer. These mothers were 23% more likely to feed their children adequate meal frequency, 31% more likely to provide dietary diversity, and 34% more likely to meet overall acceptable diet standards.

Interestingly, while skilled birth attendants and follow-up care within 48 hours of birth are important for mother and baby survival, they didn’t show strong effects on feeding practices in this study. This suggests that the prenatal doctor visits are the key component for teaching mothers about nutrition.

The study also found that several other factors affected feeding practices: mothers with more education, families with higher income, and mothers who didn’t have problems accessing healthcare were more likely to feed their children well. The region of Bangladesh where families lived also made a difference. These findings suggest that prenatal care works best when combined with good education and access to healthcare.

Previous research has shown that prenatal care improves mother and baby survival, but this is one of the first studies to show that prenatal care also improves how mothers feed their babies. The findings align with the idea that prenatal visits are a perfect opportunity to teach mothers about nutrition, since they’re already seeing healthcare providers regularly.

This study has some important limitations to consider. Because it’s a snapshot of families at one point in time, we can’t prove that prenatal care directly caused better feeding practices—other unmeasured factors could be involved. The study only included data from Bangladesh, so results may not apply to other countries with different healthcare systems or cultures. Additionally, the study relied on mothers’ reports about what they fed their children, which might not always be completely accurate. The sample size for one feeding indicator (timely introduction of solid foods) was much smaller, making those results less reliable.

The Bottom Line

Pregnant women should attend all recommended prenatal care visits (at least 4 visits). These visits provide important health monitoring and are an excellent opportunity to learn about proper nutrition for babies. Healthcare providers should use prenatal visits to counsel mothers about introducing solid foods at the right time and providing a variety of nutritious foods. Confidence level: Moderate—the evidence is fairly strong, but more research in different settings would strengthen these findings.

This research is most relevant for pregnant women and new mothers in developing countries like Bangladesh where nutrition education may be limited. It’s also important for healthcare providers, public health officials, and organizations working to improve child nutrition. The findings may be less directly applicable in wealthy countries where nutrition information is more readily available, though the principle that prenatal care supports better child feeding likely applies everywhere.

Benefits may start appearing once mothers begin feeding their babies solid foods (around 6 months of age). The full impact on child health and development would take months to years to become apparent, as good nutrition during this critical period supports growth and brain development.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track prenatal appointment attendance and document nutrition topics discussed at each visit. Users can log the four key feeding practices weekly: (1) whether solid foods were introduced at 6 months, (2) number of meals per day, (3) count of different food groups eaten, and (4) overall diet quality score.
  • Set reminders for all prenatal appointments and create a checklist of nutrition questions to ask at each visit. After baby starts solids, use the app to plan meals that include foods from at least 4 different groups (grains, proteins, fruits/vegetables, dairy) and track daily meal frequency to ensure adequate nutrition.
  • Create a monthly report showing feeding practice improvements from baseline. Track correlation between prenatal visit attendance and child feeding quality. Set goals for dietary diversity and meal frequency, with visual progress indicators to motivate continued healthy feeding practices.

This research suggests an association between prenatal care and better child feeding practices in Bangladesh, but cannot prove direct causation. Individual results may vary based on local healthcare availability, cultural practices, and family circumstances. Always consult with your healthcare provider about prenatal care and infant feeding recommendations specific to your situation. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about your pregnancy or your child’s nutrition, speak with a qualified healthcare provider.