The Effect of Red Seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) Biscuits on Hemoglobin Levels and Body Weight among the First Trimester Pregnant Women

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of anemic pregnant women is still reasonably high, especially in low-middleincome countries.
AIM: This study was aimed to assess the effect of giving red seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) biscuits on changes in hemoglobin (Hb) levels and body weight of pregnant women in the first trimester.
METHODS: The study used a quasi-experiment pretest-posttest study design. The study was conducted from April to June 2021 involving pregnant women in the first trimester who living in the working area of the Wapunto Community Health Center, Muna Regency, Indonesia. A total of 45 pregnant women were selected purposively and assigned to three different groups. The first group was given two pieces of red seaweed biscuits per day. The second group was given two pieces of red seaweed biscuits plus Fe tablets (60 mg/day), and the last group was given Fe tablet only (60 mg/day). Chi-square, paired sample t-test, Wilcoxon, and Kruskal–Wallis tests were performed using SPSS.
RESULTS: The intervention group of red seaweed biscuits plus Fe tablets had the highest increase in Hb levels after 8 weeks of intervention, followed by the red seaweed biscuit group and the control group (0.97, 0.78, and 0.60 g/dL, respectively, p-value < 0.05). The red seaweed biscuit intervention group had the highest changes for body weight compared to the red seaweed biscuit plus Fe tablet group and the control group (1.07, 0.43, and 0.04 kg, respectively).
CONCLUSION: The provision of red seaweed biscuits could increase maternal Hb level and weight during the first trimester of their pregnancy.