Effect of Social and Behavioral Change Communication Combined with Egg Production Intervention on Maternal Dietary Diversity: A Pilot Study in Ethiopia

BackgroundIn many low-income settings, pregnant and lactating women (PLW) often have poor dietary diversity, poor nutritional status, and perpetuation of a cycle of malnutrition.ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the association of Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) combined with an egg production intervention on the feeding practices of PLW in the Bishoftu and East Shoa Zone, Ethiopia.MethodA 4-round repeated cross-sectional survey was conducted, including 459, 494, 425, and 547 PLW in the first, second, third, and fourth rounds, respectively. The Market-based Innovation for Nutrition in Ethiopia (MINE) project implemented the egg hub model to increase egg production, and a comprehensive SBCC package was used to promote egg consumption. Dietary diversity was assessed using the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W) tool, with intake measured through a 24-h recall method. Dietary diversity among PLW was evaluated by comparing data from the first survey round to subsequent rounds. Multivariable logistic regression identified the independent association of the MINE intervention with MDD-W, controlling for confounders.ResultThe proportion of PLW meeting MDD-W increased from 29.9% in the first survey round to 71.3% in the second, 56.7% in the third, and 66.8% in the fourth rounds. Maternal knowledge improved from 52.7% to 78.2%, and favorable attitudes toward feeding recommendations rose from 76.3% to 87.2%.ConclusionThe findings suggest the combined intervention was associated with significant improvements in the dietary diversity, knowledge, and attitudes of PLW, suggesting that it should be scaled up across Ethiopia to evaluate its broader effectiveness.