IMPE Abstracts

"Developmental Programming" (DP) refers to the long-term health effect determined by environmental exposures during the child's first 1000 days. This study aimed to determine pregnant women's knowledge about DP and compare the degree of knowledge with clinical and sociodemographic variables. This research is a cross-sectional, descriptive study carried out through a questionnaire applied to pregnant women. Statistical analysis was performed with the SPSS 26.0 program, with a significance level of 5%. The questionnaire addressed 23 questions about the concept of DP, risk factors during pregnancy and postpartum, and habits during the first two years of the baby's life. Seventy-eight pregnant women with a mean age of 28.83 years participated in the research. Most pregnant women were unaware of 1000 days (94.9%) and DP (89.7%). Four items that may have an unfavorable influence on the PD and that obtained ≤50% of correct answers were: "cesarean-section," breastfeeding-<- six months," "cow's milk-<1 year," and quick "catch-u P" of low birthweight babies. Pregnant women with higher education scored better on the concept of DP. Pregnant women with income > 2 minimum-wage scored better on the concept of 1000 days and the deleterious influence on the DP of "Stress," "Goodies," and "non-breastfeeding." Regarding the gestational trimester, women in the first trimester had less knowledge about the influence of excess of sweets, alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle, hypertension, diabetes, low birth weight, non-breastfeeding, “breastfeeding-<- six months”, and introduction of "cow's milk-<1 year". Besides, third-trimester women knew more about the influence of low weight gain and cesarean delivery. The multiparous women scored better on the themes "catch-up," "cesarean section," and "non-breastfeeding." There was no difference in the degree of knowledge between pregnant women who followed prenatal care at the "low-risk" outpatient clinic and those who were followed at the specialized "high-risk" prenatal service. We conclude that DP is still little known by pregnant women in general. However, pregnant women with more advanced pregnancies, multiparous women, and those with higher education and higher income scored better in some items. We emphasize the need to improve the knowledge of pregnant women about the factors that interfere with DP, focusing on how healthy habits can impact the health of their future child until adulthood. The approach to this issue should occur in prenatal consultations with the obstetrician, at least one consultation with a pediatrician during the prenatal, and information campaigns for the general public.