Althea Vol 2 No 1 EDIT.indd

Althea Medical Journal. 2015;2(1)

36 AMJ March, 2015

Knowledge Level of Pregnant Women in Cipacing Village on Nutrition
and Benefits of Colostrums

Haviz Reddy1, Siti Nur Fatimah2, Zulvayanti3
1Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, 2Department of Medical Nutrition, Faculty of

Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, 3Department of Obstetry and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine,
Universitas Padjadjaran/Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung

Abstract

Background: Colostrums are the only natural food that is healthy for newborn infants since colostrums
contain proper nutrition needed for infants’ growth. This study aimed to reveal the knowledge level of
pregnant women on nutrition and benefits of colostrums.
Methods: This study used descriptive cross-sectional method on 73 pregnant women in Cipacing village,
Jatinangor district, Sumedang Regency, West Java, from October 18 to November 14, 2012. A questionnaire
was used.
Results: The results showed that the characteristics of these pregnant women were as follows: 20-35 years
old (53.4%), most were middle school graduates (42.5%), most were unemployed (72.6%), and some
claimed to have never given birth before (37,0%). Mostly, the knowledge level of these pregnant women was
in the category of “favorable” (84.9 %). The knowledge level with the highest percentage (100%) came from
pregnant women aged above 35 years old, college graduates, employed as private employees, civil servants,
or self-employed, as well as having three biological children or more.
Conclusions: Sustained health promotion and counseling programs are needed to maintain already-
favorable knowledge level; thus pregnant women’s knowledge on nutrition and benefits of colostrums can
be applied and can also encourage these women themselves to provide colostrums for their newborn infants.

Keywords: Benefits of colostrums, Jatinangor, nutrition, women’s knowledge level

Correspondence: Haviz Reddy, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Jalan Raya Bandung-Sumedang Km.21,
Jatinangor, Sumedang, Indonesia, Phone: +6282125416781 Email: havizreddy@gmail.com

Introduction

Colostrums are secretions similar to milk,
produced in female human breasts during the
final period of pregnancy until one to three days
after laboring or before transitional breast milk
is produced.1Colostrums have a yellow hue in
color and are more condensed than breast
milk since colostrums contain beta-caroten.2

Several benefits of colostrums for newborn
infants are as follows: as a laxative-like
substance to clean the colon of the infant, as
well as cleaning the meconium to allow the
digestive tract to digest food; as a substance
rich in immunoglobulin, particularly
Immunoglobulin A (IgA), which provides
protections against bacterial infections,
viruses, fungal infections, and allergens.
Colostrums can protect the infant’s body
against infections and diseases for almost six
months since colostrums are rich in leukocytes

and bifidus factors that help stimulate the
growth of good bacteria Lactobacillus.
Colostrums consist of proteins and enzymes
with much more quantity than breast milk,
thus colostrums can also help stimulate
good growth and metabolism of body cells.
Aside from proteins, colostrums also contain
fat-soluble vitamins as well as minerals,
particularly vitamin A and carotene that help
maintain eye health. Colostrums are low in fat
and lactose than breast milk, thus providing
balanced nutrients for newborn infants during
their first days after birth. 1,3

Low levels of colostrums feeding to
infants become one of many factors that
trigger disturbances in the infant’s overall
growth. Infants that do not consume enough
colostrums and breast milk in a proper way
can also increase the risks of suffering from
nutrition disorder, and they become more
prone to diseases such as indigestion, upper
respiratory tract infection (URTI), allergies, as

Althea Medical Journal. 2015;2(1)

well as affecting their viability and longevity. 4
Low levels of colostrums-feeding to infants

have also been included as one of many factors
that affect infant mortality rate (IMR), which
becomes the indicator of the degree of public
health. According to the data in 2004, infant
mortality rate in several regions in southern
regions of West Java shows fairly high infant
mortality rates, occurring in Garut where it
reaches 53.79 per 1000 live births, followed
by Tasikmalaya Regency (48.75) as well as
Cianjur (50.87). In 2008, the IMR is still above
40 per 1,000 live births in West Java province,
where there are 10 regions with the highest
number of infant mortality.5-7

Cipacing village is one of villages located in
Jatinangor District, Sumedang Regency, West
Java. According to health records retrieved
from Jatinangor Local Clinic (Puskesmas
Jatinangor), in 2011 there are several cases
recorded, namely upper respiratory tract
infection (URTI) on infants, nutrition disorder
on infants, as well as high rates of pregnant
women among other villages in Jatinangor
District. Diseases such as URTI and nutrition
disorder can be resulted from many factors,
which one of them is low levels of colostrums-
feeding to infants and toddlers, and this factor
is also influenced dominantly by mothers’
knowledge level.8

Based on the explanation above, depictions
of the knowledge level of pregnant women
in Cipacing village, Jatinangor District,
Sumedang Regency, nutrition and benefits of
colostrums were required since there were no
adequate amount of data of knowledge level
of pregnant women on nutrition and benefits
of colostrums generally in West Java province
and particularly in Sumedang Regency.
Pregnant women were chosen as the main
subject of the study since they are required
to utilize their knowledge on nutrition and
benefits of colostrums after giving birth to
their newborn infants. The result, in the form
of a depiction of knowledge on nutrition and
benefits of colostrums, is expected to become
a part of consideration made by health care
providers in providing counseling activities,
in order to improve or maintain the efforts
in informing pregnant women to affect their

decision in feeding colostrums to their infants
after giving birth, particularly among pregnant
women in Cipacing village, Jatinangor District,
Sumedang Regency.

Methods

This study used descriptive survey research
method using cross-sectional approach
to reveal the depiction of knowledge level
of pregnant women in Cipacing village,
Jatinangor district, Sumedang Regency, on
nutrition and benefits of colostrums in such
an objective way. This study was conducted
on 73 respondents during the period
from October 18 to November 14, 2012.

All pregnant women in Cipacing village,
Jatinangor district, Sumedang Regency based
on records of pregnant women were retrieved
from midwives and neighborhood health
centres or ‘posyandu’in Cipacing village,
Jatinangor district in September 2012, which
was available and accepted the terms of this
study. Cipacing village itself is divided into
18 neighborhood councils or ‘RW’, with two
midwives dividing these RW into two working
areas. Besides, Cipacing village itself has 18
health centres or ‘posyandu’ run by health
workers in each RW. Based on questionnaires,
the knowledge level of pregnant women on
nutrition and benefits of colostrums was
divided into three categories: favorable,
mediocre, and less favorable. Analysis was
conducted in the form of frequency distribution
or percentage of each variable. This univariate
analysis aims to reveal frequency distribution
and proportional amount of each characteristic
examined in this research.

Numeric data were described by explaining
the lowest score, the highest score, the
average score, and the standard deviation.
Furthermore, category data were examined
in the form of frequency distribution table or
using formulas.

Result

Table 1 showed that pregnant women with

Table 1 Knowledge Level of Pregnant Women on Nutrition and Benefits of Colostrums

Knowledge Level Frequency (people) Percentage (%)

Favorable 62 84.93%

Mediocre 4 5.48%

Less favorable 7 9.59%

Haviz Reddy, Siti Nur Fatimah, Zulvayanti: Knowledge Level of Pregnant Women in Cipacing Village on Nutrition
and Benefits of Colostrums

Althea Medical Journal. 2015;2(1)

38 AMJ March, 2015

favorable knowledge level were in the highest
frequency, with a fairly huge difference with
other categories, mediocre and less favorable.

Table 2 showed that all 73 pregnant women
involved in the study, the favorable knowledge
level on nutrition and benefits of colostrums
with the highest percentage, come from
pregnant women under the category of “above
35 years old”. The category of “below 20 years
old” showed the highest frequency of mediocre
knowledge level. Based on these results, it can
be inferred that there are certain tendencies:
the younger these pregnant women, the lower
the knowledge level on nutrition and benefits

of colostrums. It can also be inferred that the
older these pregnant women, the higher the
knowledge level.

Table 3 showed that 73 pregnant women
in this study, the favorable knowledge level
on nutrition and benefits of colostrums with
the highest percentage (100%) come from
pregnant women with education levels of
diploma-III and bachelor degree. On the other
hand, on the education levels of elementary
school, junior high school, and senior high
school, the knowledge levels are not entirely
favorable.

Table 4 showed that 73 pregnant women

Table 2 Knowledge Level of Pregnant Women on Nutrition and Benefits of Colostrums,
Based on Age

Age (years)

Knowledge Level

Favorable Mediocre Less Favorable

F* %* F* %* F* %*

<20 4 66.70% 0 0.00% 2 33.30%
20-35 32 82.10% 3 7.70% 4 10.30%

>35 26 92.90% 1 3.60% 1 3.60%

Table 3 Knowledge Level of Pregnant Women on Nutrition and Benefits of Colostrums,
Based on Education Level

Education Level

Knowledge Level

Favorable Mediocre Less Favorable

F* %* F* %* F* %*

Elementary 6 60.00% 1 10.00% 3 30.00%
Junior High 24 88.89% 0 0.00% 3 11.11%
Senior High 27 87.10% 3 9.68% 1 3.23%
Diploma-III 1 100.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%

Bachelor degree 4 100.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%

Table 4 Knowledge Level of Pregnant Women on Nutrition and Benefits of Colostrums,
Based on Occupation

Occupation

Knowledge Level

Favorable Mediocre Less Favorable

F* %* F* %* F* %*

Housewife 44 83.02% 4 7.54% 5 9.43%
Private Employee 11 100.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%

Labor 3 60.00% 0 0.00% 2 40.00%
Civil Servants 2 100.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%
Self-employed 2 100.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%

Althea Medical Journal. 2015;2(1)

in this study can be inferred that knowledge
level of pregnant women with occupation as
Civil Servants, Private Employees, and Self-
Employed were in the category of “favorable”.
Pregnant women working as labors and
housewives did not entirely have favorable
knowledge level.

Table 5 showed that in this study, only
pregnant women having three biological
children or more had favorable knowledge
level on nutrition and benefits of colostrums,
with 100% percent. Pregnant women who
already had two children or less, had lesser
percentage of favorable knowledge level. The
data showed that in this research, there was
a tendency that a pregnant mother having
more biological children would have better
knowledge level on nutrition and benefits of
colostrums.

Discussions

Based on this study, most of pregnant
women have favorable knowledge level.
This is influenced by primary health care
providers such as ‘puskesmas’ that gives
counseling and socialization on nutrition
and benefits of colostrums for newborn
infants as well as how health care workers
such as midwives in every health care center
play a huge role in promoting and informing
pregnant women to improve their knowledge
on the importance of colostrums due to its
nutrition and benefits for newborn infants.

Most of these pregnant women are in their
optimum reproduction age.9 Pregnancy during
optimum reproduction allows the mother to
give birth normally or per vaginam, thus having
greater chances to breastfeed her newborn
infant. The experience of breastfeeding
newborn baby and the support from health
workers who help the labor process and

intervene the mother to immediately provide
colostrums to her baby can also affect her
knowledge level on nutrition and benefits of
colostrums. 10

Pregnant women with higher risks of labor
due to young age (below 20 years old) can suffer
from diseases or pathological conditions such
as pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, or premature
birth. Pregnant women below 20 years old
also tend to ignore pre-natal treatments,
thus preventing them from getting informed
on nutrition and benefits of colostrums from
health workers.11This can lead to abnormal
conditions both during pregnancy and labor,
where there are greater chances of the
mother to labor with pathological conditions,
or non per vaginam.9,11This will also result
in situations preventing the mother to
immediately breastfeed her newborn baby
with colostrums due to loss unconsciousness
after laboring, thus affecting her knowledges
on nutrition and benefits of colostrums.9, 10
Based on this study, there is a tendency
where the lower the education level, the
lower the knowledge level on nutrition and
benefits of colostrums. This is in accordance
with the theory by Notoatmodjo10, stating
that one’s education level also determine
their capability of getting information.
However, it does not necessarily mean that
those with education level of elementary
school do not have proper knowledge level.

With several other factors affecting
knowledge level, it can also be concluded
that education levels should not necessarily
become the absolute benchmark to determine
one’s knowledge level. 10Nevertheless,
education should always remain as the main,
important point since studies conducted in
many countries in Asia and Africa regions have
shown that there are positive effects between
mother’s knowledge level and the health

Table 5 Knowledge Level of Pregnant Women on Nutrition and Benefits of Colostrums,
Based on the Number of Biological Children

Number of
Biological
Children

Knowledge Level

Favorable Mediocre Less Favorable

F* %* F* %* F* %*

0 19 70.40% 3 11.10% 5 18.50%
1 17 89.50% 1 5.30% 1 5.30%
2 17 94.40% 0 0.00% 1 5.60%
3 8 100.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%
4 1 100.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00%

Haviz Reddy, Siti Nur Fatimah, Zulvayanti: Knowledge Level of Pregnant Women in Cipacing Village on Nutrition
and Benefits of Colostrums

Althea Medical Journal. 2015;2(1)

40 AMJ March, 2015

condition of the mother and her children.12
Based on this study, pregnant women

working as labors and housewives do not
entirely have favorable knowledge level.
Employed mothers indirectly allow themselves
to get more interactions outside their home,
thus they do not have a lot of time spent at home
than housewives do. However, interactions
with many people in their own communities
also allow good circulations of information,
thus there is a tendency that employed mothers
can have broader knowledge and insights than
those who are unemployed.

Most of 73 pregnant women in this study
are pregnant women with nullipara. The least
number found in this research is pregnant
women with three children. Any other factors
that can contribute to the results of this study
are the use of contraception or birth control,
or the family planning program that has been
widely spread among people in Cipacing
village.

Mothers with a first-time pregnancy or
nullipara do not have experience of providing
colostrums to the baby himself. Women who
have never given birth tend not to come into
contact with health professionals who help
the delivery process, so that it affects the low
level of knowledge about the nutritional value
and benefits of colostrums.10Women who
have given birth once or more will generally
produce colostrum faster with higher numbers
progressively compared to women who have
never given birth. 12This may affect the level of
experience and knowledge level of the mother,
because the experience gained can later be
converted into one knowledge. 10

Sustained and continuous health promotion
is required to maintain already-favorable
knowledge level and improve less favorable
knowledge level among pregnant women
in Cipacing village, Jatinangor district. Such
health promotion by health workers is not the
mere factor that affects the knowledge level
of women, especially mothers, on nutrition
and benefits of colostrums. Notoatmodjo
argued that apart from proper information,
other factors that matter are as follows: age,
education, experience, social life, and culture.10

Health workers can minimize roles of
other such factors, thus health promotion
or counseling programs can always be
maintained and improved frequently in the
form of counseling programs for particular
age, experience, education level, and culture
of pregnant women themselves. Further
studies are required to determine the factors
that affect infant mortality in district and sub-

district Sumedang Jatinangor and factors that
influence the incidence of upper respiratory
tract infections and nutritional disorders
in infants in the village Cipacing, District
Jatinangor.

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Haviz Reddy, Siti Nur Fatimah, Zulvayanti: Knowledge Level of Pregnant Women in Cipacing Village on Nutrition
and Benefits of Colostrums