Empowering Pregnant Women Through Beetroot and Red Guava Juice Utilization for Anemia Prevention at Jamilah Independent Midwifery Practice South Jakarta
Main Article Content
Frenta Helena Simaibang
Rukmaini
Aliffatma Erlindya Sayekti
Anggraeni
Dedeh Desi
Hanifatul Amalia
Puji Astuti
Background: Anemia during pregnancy remains a major public health concern associated with an increased risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Prevention strategies should not rely solely on Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation, but also on adequate nutritional intake. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) and red guava (Psidium guajava) are rich in iron-supporting nutrients, vitamin C, folate, and antioxidants, making them potential dietary complements for anemia prevention.
Objective: This community service program aimed to improve pregnant women's knowledge and practical skills regarding anemia prevention through health education and demonstrations on preparing beetroot and red guava juice.
Methods: The program was conducted at Jamilah Independent Midwifery Practice, South Jakarta, Indonesia, involving 15 pregnant women. The intervention consisted of health education, demonstrations and hands-on practice in preparing beetroot and red guava juice, interactive discussions, individual consultations, distribution of educational leaflets, and evaluation using pre-test and post-test questionnaires. Participants' practical skills were also assessed through direct observation.Results: The educational intervention resulted in a marked improvement in participants' knowledge. The mean knowledge score increased from 61.7 in the pre-test to 87.7 in the post-test, representing an average increase of 26.0 points (42.1%). In addition, 14 participants (93.3%) successfully prepared beetroot and red guava juice independently according to the demonstrated procedures. Participants also understood that beetroot and red guava juice should be consumed as part of a balanced diet and serves as a dietary complement rather than a substitute for routine Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) supplementation recommended during pregnancy.
Conclusion: This community service program effectively improved pregnant women's knowledge and practical skills related to anemia prevention through the utilization of beetroot and red guava juice. Integrating nutrition education with practical demonstrations may strengthen healthy dietary behaviors among pregnant women and support ongoing efforts to reduce the risk of anemia during pregnancy.
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