Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Pregnant women who were in Nekemte town during the study period.

Exclusion criteria: Pregnant women who were unable to communicate due to mental status or serious illness.

Sample Size Determination: For the first specific objective, the sample size was computed using a single population proportion formula. From a previously conducted study in Shashemane, 25.4% of the study participants had a high dietary diversity score with a 5% margin of error and a 95% confidence level (22).

N = required sample size.

P = Probability of having a highly diversified diet (25.4%).

Q = Probability of not having a diversified diet (1–25.4%).

D = Margin of Error = 5% = (0.05).

For the second specific objective of the study, Epi-Info software statistics were employed for sample size calculation, using 80% power and a 95% confidence interval, according to studies conducted in the Ilu Ababori zone, Shashemene town, and west Gojjam zone. Since the sample size of the first objective is greater than that of the second objective, a sample size of 292 was implemented for pregnant mothers in this study. Using a design effect of 1.5 and a response rate of 10%, the total sample size for this study was 482.