Postpartum nutrition education services for HIV-positive Ghanaian women are scarce despite their increased risk of weight loss

Abstract

Predictors of weight change throughout the first year postpartum were examined using data from 314 Ghanaian HIV-positive (HIV-P) and HIV-negative (HIV-N) women. The overall effect over one year postpartum was a loss in average weight in HIV-P women and a gain in average weight in HIV-N women. After controlling for confounders, weight change was negatively associated with being HIV-P and having a higher number of days of breastfeeding and illness, and positively associated with being a trader. To complement the quantitative analysis, qualitative data on nutrition education services provided to HIV-P women in Ghana were collected through focus group discussions with 38 HIV-P women, and semi-structured interviews with 12 health workers, 5 non-governmental and governmental personnel and a community leader. Financial insecurity, low support from health services, and stigma limited the women‟s ability to follow recommendations received. Barriers to providing more nutrition education included lack of audience-appropriate materials and in-service training. HIV-P women may need individualized nutrition counselling to help them maintain a normal weight during the postpartum period.