Community-Based Nutrition Counseling Among Pregnant Women and New Mothers in Nairobi Slums: Effects on Weight Gain and Health Outcomes

Pregnant women and new mothers in Nairobi slums often face nutritional challenges that can affect their health outcomes and weight gain. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including a randomized controlled trial with pre-post measurements to assess changes in weight gain and health indicators such as blood pressure and hemoglobin levels. Data collection involved structured interviews, anthropometric measurements, and biological samples. Community-based nutrition counseling resulted in an average weight gain of 12 kg among participants compared to a control group, with significant reductions in pre-eclampsia incidence (p < 0. 05) and improved hemoglobin levels by 2 g/dL. The findings suggest that community-based nutrition interventions can be effective in promoting healthy weight gain and reducing health risks for pregnant women and new mothers in Nairobi slums. Further studies should investigate the sustainability of these programmes and explore additional strategies to enhance their impact on maternal and child health outcomes. Treatment effect was estimated with logit (pᵢ) =₀+^ Xᵢ, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.