Özet:

This study was conducted to determine the believes of the women about altering nutrition during pregnancy and whether these nutritional changes are effective on gender, physical and mental development of the baby. 501 pregnants applied to the Policlinic of Maternal Diseases and Delivery of Erciyes University Gevher Nesibe Hospital was recruited to this descriptive study. The data were collected by a face to face questionnaire. Mean age of the participants was 26.7±5.8 years. 16.8% of the women believed that nutrition during pregnancy affects the gender of the baby. Among participants 68.9% preferred sweaty foods for son and 75.4% preferred sourish foods for daughter. The ratio of craving during pregnancy was 62.5%. The most craved foods were sourish foods like plum (42.2%) and sweeties (17.9%). Believing that it is possible to know the gender of the baby by traditional methods increased by age. By education status increased, believing in the evil eye (52.0%) and ratio of craving (56.8%) have decreased and believing that nutrition in pregnancy affects the physical and mental characteristics of the baby has increased (41.2%). While believing that nutritional habits affect the gender, physical and mental characteristics of the baby and ratio of craving are low in the women who had been married for 10 years, the thought about knowing the gender of the baby by the methods excluding modern technologic ones was higher. The belief that the gender and physical characteristics of the baby were affected by some foods is current.

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