Purpose: To explore registered dietitians’ (RDs) experiences and perceptions of providing prenatal nutrition care in Canada. Methods: This qualitative study utilized virtual one-on-one semi-structured interviews and an online survey to gather information about RDs’ experiences in prenatal care. Convenience sampling was used to recruit RDs, who were English-speaking and provided care for pregnancy. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded with an original codebook, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six steps to thematic analysis. Data were reviewed to find emerging themes and subthemes. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Eleven RDs who provide prenatal nutrition care in Canada participated in the study. Six themes emerged: (i) RDs’ role in prenatal care; (ii) RDs’ opinion of standard prenatal nutrition care; (iii) barriers to dietetic involvement in prenatal care; (iv) facilitators to dietetic involvement in prenatal care; (v) provision of nutrition information; and (vi) collaboration with prenatal healthcare providers (HCPs). Conclusion: RDs in Canada seek greater integration of nutritional services within prenatal care to enhance the nutritional health of pregnant individuals. This study presents first steps in the development of strategies to enhance RD involvement in prenatal care, provides opportunities for future research, and can assist in informing policy creation.
Oliveira et al. (Tue,) studied this question.