Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health

Question Number Valid %
Do you take calcium supplements?
Yes
No
Unsure
11
192
3
5.3
93.2
1.5
<strong>Prenatal</strong> Nutrition and Diet
Overall, 158 participants (77.1%) indicated that they thought the foods they were eating
were healthy enough for the pregnancy. When asked how they had changed the way they
ate since finding out they were pregnant, 66.8% indicated they were eating better and
30.2% the same as before they knew they were pregnant. While the majority <strong>of</strong>
participants indicated they were able to buy all the foods they needed to be healthy during
pregnancy, 9.3% reported that they were not able to do so.
Nearly half (45.9%) <strong>of</strong> the women enrolled indicated they attended “Healthy
Baby” Community Support Programs 1 like Healthy Start for Mom & Me. While the
majority (88.4%) had heard <strong>of</strong> the Healthy Baby <strong>Prenatal</strong> Benefit from the Province <strong>of</strong>
Manitoba only 97 mothers (47.6%) reported receiving this benefit at the time <strong>of</strong>
recruitment into the investigation. Overall, the majority <strong>of</strong> participants in this study
would likely have been eligible for this benefit.
The questionnaire asked participants whether milk or dairy products upset their
stomach as a proxy measure for lactose intolerance. A total <strong>of</strong> 44 women (21.4%)
indicated that consuming these food products did upset their stomach. Most <strong>of</strong> these same
women (85.0%) reported consuming less milk and dairy. However, 84.5% <strong>of</strong> the entire
cohort reported that they had been consuming more milk and dairy during the pregnancy.
3-4