Prevalence of food insecurity in Iranian pregnant women: systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Food insecurity is an important risk factor that can affect the physical and mental health of pregnant women and is associated with negative consequences such as increased risk of at least one of the complications of pregnancy. Difficulty preparing food can lead to stressful events in the family environment, endangering the mother's mental health, and resulting in anxiety and depression. The present study was designed and conducted to gather information on the prevalence of food insecurityin Iranian pregnant women (FIPW) and related factors and to provide evidence to health policy makers to design interventions to improve FIPW.Search method: This study was conducted using the PRISMA guideline and on cross-sectional studies published between January ۱, ۲۰۰۰ and September ۵, ۲۰۲۱ in English and Persian that reported the prevalence of food insecurity in Iranian pregnant women. The search was performed with the appropriate keywords in six databases. Finally, ۱۴ studies were analyzed and combined and the results were presented in the form of forest plot. Heterogeneity between studies using the I۲ index and metargression was performed to evaluate the variables suspected of causing heterogeneity at the significant level of P <۰.۰۵. Statistical analysis and synthesis were performed using Stata softwareversion ۱۶.Results: The pooled estimate prevalence of FIPW was %۴۵ (%۹۵ CI: ۳۷-۵۴). The pooled estimate prevalence of food insecurity in studies whose average annual feed cost per person was less than ۸۳۵ US$ was higher than the pooled prevalence of food insecurity in other studies (۵۴% and ۳۷%, respectively). Year and type of study data collection questionnaire were associated with heterogeneity of study results (P <۰.۰۵).Conclusion: Based on the pooled prevalence of published studies and according to the estimated number of Iranian pregnant women in ۲۰۲۱, the prevalence of Iranian pregnantwomen with food insecurity is estimated at half a million. Considering the simultaneous increase in the prevalence of FIPW with the annual inflation rate between ۲۰۱۵ and ۲۰۱۸, it seems that one of the reasons for insufficient compliance with the recommendations of policy makers and incentive programs for childbearing is food insecurity for mothers, so predict food subsidies for Pregnant women are recommended.

کلیدواژه ها:

prevalence ، food security ، pregnant women ، systematic review and meta-analysis ، Iran