Self-Reported Nutrition Education Received by Australian Midwives before and after Registration

Table 2

Nutrition information/education details.

Nutrition education details		%
The providers of nutrition
Midwives	176	67.4
Dietitians/nutritionists	147	56.3
Obstetricians or other doctors	36	13.8
	64	24.5
I do not know	25	9.6
Nutrition topics covered in the
Topics of nutrition during pregnancy
Nutrition during pregnancy, for example, the role of folate, iodine, or calcium	206	78.9
Alcohol and pregnancy	201	77.0
The healthy range of weight gain required for pregnant women during different stages of pregnancy	196	75.1
Nutrition-related issues such as managing nausea, constipation, or heartburn	178	68.2
Food safety and preparation during pregnancy (e.g., listeria)	174	66.7
Nutrition for breastfeeding	173	66.3
Nutrition management of gestational diabetes	164	62.8
Managing weight during pregnancy	115	44.1
Reviewing diet for nutrition requirements of pregnancy	111	42.5
Nutrition during pregnancy and different cultural groups	54	20.7
Nutrition and teenage pregnancy	54	20.7
Topics of general nutrition
General nutrient information, e.g. the role of vitamins and minerals in the body	124	47.5
General food safety	95	36.4
General nutrition, for example, prevention of chronic illnesses such as cancer and heart diseases	46	17.6
	10	3.8

n = 261 (only midwives who received nutrition information/education during midwifery education or after registration answered this section). Multiple responses allowed. “Other” included self-directed learning (through internet, media, reading books, journals, and attending conferences), complementary therapists (such as naturopaths and homeopaths), chiropractors, diabetes educators, midwives (colleagues, lecturers, and presenters in conferences or online) drug companies representatives, drug and alcohol staff and nurses, nutrition experts, kinesiologists, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) course educators, governmental organisations, health promotion officers, and interaction with pregnant women. “Other” included nutrition for newborn and infants, nutrition during labour and after birth (especially for women from different cultural backgrounds such as Asian, Muslim, and African women), nutrition for vegetarians and vegans, nutrition for fertility, nutrition for alleviating symptoms such as thrush, eczema, and allergies, nutrition for preconception, the impact of maternal nutrition on child health, and the effects of socioeconomic factors on nutrition status, supplements, and organic food.