Tackling anaemia deficiency in maternal health

By Ijeoma UKAZU

Dealing with anaemia deficiency in maternal health includes the consumption of iron-rich foods such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dried beans and fortified grains, foods rich in folic acid like; leafy vegetables and as well as eating foods with high vitamin C.

But with the rising food prices, food insecurity, climate change and economic hardship, families are finding it difficult to consume the right nutrient needed for their well-being.

In Nigeria, 40 million women of childbearing age (between 15 and 49 years of age) suffer a disproportionally high level of health issues surrounding birth. According to United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF has resulted in a high maternal mortality rate of 576 per 100,000 live births, the fourth highest on earth.

Data from UNICEF shows that each year approximately 262,000 babies die at birth, the world’s second-highest national total. Infant mortality currently stands at 69 per 1,000 live births while for under-fives it rises to 128 per 1,000 live births. 

Currently, Nigeria represents 2.4 per cent of the world’s population and contributes 10 per cent of global deaths for pregnant mothers. 

Tackling maternal mortality in Nigeria includes boosting the nutrition of pregnant mothers while fighting anaemia with the use of micronutrient supplement that is capable to provide all the needed micro vitamin for expectant mothers.

A public health consultant and the Country Director, Vitamin Angels Nigeria, Dr Francis Ohanyido told The Abuja Inquirer in an interview that the rollout of Multiple Micronutrient Supplement, MMS, a formulation of multivitamin for pregnant women as identified by the United Nations is targeted at helping pregnant women have a better value in terms of nutrition for themselves and their children.

Ohanyido said the lack of micronutrients like Vitamins A, C, D, E, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, B12, folic acid and Minerals: iron, zinc, iodine, copper, and selenium, could lead to serious health issues.

For instance, the World Health Organization, WHO revealed that a lack of iron, folate and vitamins B12 and A, can lead to anaemia, a condition in which there is a reduced number of red blood cells or haemoglobin concentration, causing fatigue, weakness, shortage of breath and dizziness.

Ohanyido, said several studies have shown that MMS has significant benefits compared to Iron and Folic Acid, IFA as it contains 15 micronutrients, including IFA.

He stated that before 2020, global policy guidance recommended the use of IFA, adding that with the introduction of MMS, several studies support switching from IFA to MMS, especially for women with poor diets.

The medical expert revealed that “The reason for that is because MMS contains 15 essential vitamins and minerals for pregnant and nursing women and meets micronutrient requirements that poor diets cannot meet. It contains vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, Vitamin C, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, copper, Iodine, Iron, Selenium and Zinc, which help to improve maternal nutrition and reduce the risk of adverse birth outcomes.

“In fact, MMS provides even greater benefit for anaemic women and underweight women compared to IFA. Findings of a study carried out to assess the effects of MMS compared with IFA in Indonesia showed that early infant mortality of babies whose mothers are undernourished was reduced by 25 per cent with MMS. Even greater results for babies of anaemic women, with a reduction of infant mortality by 38 per cent and risk of Low Birth Weight, LBW decreased by 33 per cent with MMS.

“Additionally, it reduces the risk of maternal and infant mortality in the first six months by 15 per cent. More so, it is cost-effective and safe.”

He disclosed that transitioning from IFA to MMS can avert between seven to 28 million additional infant deaths and disabilities across 132 Low and Middle-Income Countries, LMICs, adding that scaling up MMS to 90 per cent coverage is projected to contribute to huge human capital gains for all babies born per year across 132 LMICs.

Ohanyido further revealed that the Nigerian government, in January 2021, approved MMS and micronutrient powder in the Micronutrient Deficiency Control Guideline, which is a policy document that regulates supplements given to women and children.

Speaking at a two-day workshop, the Implementation Research Consultant, Vitamin Angels, Nigeria, Dr Yinka Obanewa said the World Health Organization, WHO revealed that micronutrient deficiencies can cause serious health issues.

He said due to the high prevalence of anaemia in Nigeria, adolescents, especially girls and women of childbearing age are to be targeted with MMS.

Vitamin Angels donates specifically multiple micronutrient supplements, MMS for pregnant women, albendazole for deworming children, and Vitamin A was needed to deepen deficiency control programmes. Over the last 8 years, it has advocated for and donated MMS for programmes at scale.

In Nigeria, the inclusion of MMS in the National Micronutrient Deficiency Control, MNDC Guidelines has resulted in the need to ensure the infusion of information into a social system through traditional and new media so as to close knowledge gaps and motivate journalists to acquire information in the micronutrient knowledge domain.