Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Vitamin D Deficiency Among Pregnant Women in Dodoma, Tanzania.

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is associated with significant risks to maternal and foetal health. However, studies on knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding vitamin D deficiency are limited in low-income countries.

This study aimed to determine knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women in Dodoma, Tanzania.

A cross-sectional study was conducted, and a pretested structured questionnaire was used for data collection from July 2024 to August 2024.

Among the 384 participants, 48.7% demonstrated poor knowledge, while 60.9% exhibited moderate practices, and 60.9% had a positive attitude towards vitamin D deficiency. Knowledge was positively correlated with practices (r = 0.168, p = 0.001) and attitude (r = 0.124, p = 0.015), while attitude showed a negative correlation with practices (r = -0.155, p = 0.002). Monthly household income, education, practices, and attitude were significant predictors of knowledge regarding vitamin D deficiency, while monthly household income, knowledge, and attitude significantly predicted practices.

The study identifies a substantial knowledge gap and a disconnect between positive attitudes and practices, highlighting the need to address contextual socio-cultural and structural barriers.

This study revealed that nearly half of the pregnant women had poor knowledge regarding vitamin D deficiency, which underscores the need to integrate vitamin D education into antenatal nutrition programmes.