Tuesday, February 27, 2024, the Public Health Doctoral Study Program, Faculty of Public Health (FPH) Universitas Indonesia (UI) held an open doctoral promotion session on behalf of Ratna Wulandari. The session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Besral, S.K.M., M.Sc., with Ir. Ahmad Syafiq, M.Sc., Ph.D., as Promoter, and Prof. Dr. Tria Astika Endah Permatasari, S.K.M., M.K.M., as Co-Promoter. The examining team consists of Prof. Dr. Kusharisupeni Djokosujono, dr., M.Sc.; Dr. Emi Nurjasmi, M.Kes., Dr. P.A.; Kodrat Pramudho, S.K.M., M.Kes., and Dr. Sobar Darmadja, S.Psi, M.K.M. Ratna defended her dissertation with the title “Effectiveness of Preconception Nutrition Education Modules in Preventing Anemia and Chronic Energy Deficiency during Pregnancy in Urban Areas”.
Anemia and chronic lack of energy during pregnancy is one of the nutritional problems in pregnant women that can be prevented. The importance of meeting nutritional needs during the preconception period is related to the quality of egg cells and sperm cells before fertilization occurs. Utilizing the preconception period as an important period before conception (pregnancy) through providing education to prospective brides about fulfilling preconception nutrition as preparation for a healthy pregnancy, is an intervention in this research. This study was conducted on prospective brides and then the impact of the intervention was measured during the first trimester of pregnancy.
This research began with qualitative analysis which was then continued with the development of educational media, namely the website-based Preconception Nutrition Education Module in the form of the Catin Sehat Application. The module that has been prepared is used as an educational intervention for prospective brides. The results of the intervention showed that prospective brides were given education about fulfilling preconception nutrition. Post-intervention assessments, namely during the first trimester of pregnancy, showed an increase in knowledge, attitudes, dietary behavior, body mass index and hemoglobin levels. The results of measuring physical activity and food intake, which showed no difference in the average assessment before and after the intervention, were associated with the adaptation process during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Ratna suggested that educational materials about; Fulfillment of preconception nutrition, preparation for a healthy pregnancy, and prevention of anemia and chronic lack of energy during pregnancy, can be provided as standard educational material for prospective brides. Providing education has been proven to have an impact on behavior in fulfilling nutritional intake and improving nutritional status in terms of hemoglobin levels and body mass index, which means reducing the risk of anemia and chronic lack of energy and the risk of complications due to malnutrition during pregnancy.
Based on her dissertation, Ratna Wulandari was declared a graduate and succeeded in obtaining a Doctoral degree in the field of Public Health Sciences (IKM) as the 14th IKM doctoral graduate in 2024, the 310th IKM doctoral graduate, and the 398th doctoral graduate at FPH UI, and received the title cum laude.