Impact of nutrition education intervention on dietary intake among pregnant women with hypothyroidism – A randomized controlled trial

Purpose: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of structured nutrition education on improved dietary intake among pregnant women with hypothyroidism. Materials and methods: A parallel-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted among 120 pregnant women diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Participants were randomized (60 each) to intervention or control groups. The intervention group received repeated targeted nutrition education sessions from 16 to 38 weeks of gestation, in addition to routine antenatal care and thyroxine supplementation. Controls received standard antenatal care and thyroxine only. Dietary intake was assessed using 24-h dietary recalls collected over three consecutive days monthly. Nutrient intake (energy, protein, carbohydrate, calcium, and iron) was analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Significant time, group, and time × group interaction effects (p < 0.001) indicated greater improvements in nutrient intake among the intervention group. Protein intake increased from 63.3 ± 9.98 g to 71.6 ± 11.64 g compared to 50.7 ± 6.56 g to 61.3 ± 12.7 g in controls. Similar improvements were observed for energy, calcium, carbohydrate, and iron. Clinical significance: 78% in the intervention group vs 62% in the control group achieved adequate gestational weight gain (RD = 16%; 95%CI 4–28%). Conclusion: Structured, repeated nutrition education improved reported dietary intake in pregnant women with hypothyroidism, underscoring its role in managing their nutritional needs.