Maternal Under-nutrition and Effect of Amaranth Grain Flat-bread on Anemia

Introduction: In Ethiopia, maternal malnutrition is a severe public health issue. Underweight and anaemia are the two most common nutritional problems in pregnant women, and they often coexist. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study will be undertaken on a sample of 528 pregnant women in their first trimester to investigate the prevalence of anemia and associated risk factors, as well as the prevalence of co-existing anemia and undernutrition. Following that, a six-month parallel-group community-based randomized controlled trial will be conducted among 306 anemic women to assess the effect of locally prepared amaranth grain flatbread on hemoglobin concentration and anemia prevalence when compared to maize bread, which is commonly consumed among pregnant women.