Multiple micronutrient supplementation to improve the quality of nutrition care and prevent low birthweight
This is a summary of the following report: UNICEF (2022) Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation: An approach to improving the quality of nutrition care for mothers and preventing low birthweight. https://www.unicef.org/media/123271/file
Women across the globe consume poor-quality diets that fail to meet their nutrient requirements and put them at risk of micronutrient deficiencies. Those who suffer from anaemia during pregnancy are twice as likely to die during, or shortly after, pregnancy. Being born to an undernourished and anaemic mother also puts infants at risk of low birthweight and of subsequent wasting, stunting and developmental delays.
Multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) is a safe and effective strategy to improve maternal nutritional status during pregnancy, demonstrating greater benefits for reducing anaemia and preventing low birthweight than iron and folic acid alone. As part of its 2020-2030 Nutrition Strategy, UNICEF aims to support national MMS scale up.
This advocacy brief was released in early 2022 to garner support for, and commitment to, the introduction and scale up of MMS at country level. In addition to being good value for money, the brief highlights how scaling up MMS provides opportunities to strengthen the integration and delivery of essential nutrition services in antenatal care, using MMS as a key indicator of quality of care alongside counselling; promote social equality through universal access to MMS; and enhance affordability, programme ownership and national economies through local supplement production.
To support the introduction and scale up of MMS, UNICEF is advocating for its inclusion in national policies, strategies, guidelines, and budgets, as well as supporting national coordination mechanisms. Technical assistance is also provided to generate evidence to inform the effective implementation and local production of MMS, while working to expand global supply chains and ensure robust quality control mechanisms.
More like this
FEX: Prevention of child wasting in Asia: Possible role for multiple micronutrient supplementation in pregnancy
View this article as a pdf Lisez cet article en français ici By Kristen M. Hurley, Endang L Achadi, Clayton Ajello, Sufia Askari, Madhavika Bajoria, Kalpana...
Collective Statement of Support for multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS)
We've joined global experts & practitioners calling for urgent scale-up of MMS ensuring mothers receive more effective prenatal care & in turn babies have the best chance...
FEX: Improving maternal nutrition in South Asia: Implications for child wasting prevention efforts
View this article as a pdf Lisez cet article en français ici By Zivai Murira and Harriet Torlesse Zivai Murira is Nutrition Specialist at United Nations Children's...
FEX: Current evidence on anaemia and micronutrient supplementation strategies in school-age children and adolescents
View this article as a pdf Lisez cet article en français ici By Elena Hemler, Wafaie Fawzi and Stephanie Wrottesley Elena Hemler is senior project coordinator for the...
FEX: Preconception and periconception interventions to prevent adverse birth outcomes
View this article as a pdf This is a summary of the following paper: Partap U, Chowdhury R, Taneja S et al (2022) Preconception and periconception interventions to prevent low...
FEX: Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies 2021 Annual Report
View this article as a pdf At the start of 2021, the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies (HMHB) Consortium launched its first ever annual report. The 2021 Annual Report1 highlights...
FEX: Delivery of maternal nutrition interventions at scale and mainstreaming into the health system in Bangladesh
View this article as a pdf Lisez cet article en français ici By Deborah Ash, Zeba Mahmud, Kristen Kappos, Santhia Ireen and Thomas Forissier Deborah Ash is Project...
FEX: Continuum of care for children with wasting in India: Opportunities for an integrated approach
View this article as a pdf Lisez cet article en français ici By Arjan de Wagt, Eleanor Rogers, Praveen Kumar, Abner Daniel, Harriet Torlesse and Saul Guerrero Arjan...
Resource: Women's nutrition: A summary of evidence, policy and practice including adolescent and maternal life stages
Please scroll down for links to download the Executive Summary (also available in French) and full report Lisez cet document d'information technique en français ici...
Delivering care to address a double burden of maternal malnutrition in Sri Lanka
View this article as a pdf Dr Irosha Nilaweera is a Consultant Community Physician for the National Programme for Maternal Care, Family Health Bureau, Ministry of Health, Sri...
FEX: Review of the use of antenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation in low- and middle-income countries
View this article as a pdf Research snapshot1 Inadequate micronutrient intakes are relatively common in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially among pregnant...
Resources
Global guidance WHO (2016) WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy...
Nepal’s success story: What helped to improve maternal anaemia?
View this article as a pdf Dr Ram Padarath Bichha is Director of the Family Welfare Division, Department of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal. Kedar...
FEX: National social assistance programmes to improve child nutrition: Lessons from Burundi, Ethiopia and Tanzania
View this article as a pdf Chloe Angood is a Knowledge Management for Nutrition Consultant for UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Office (ESARO) Christiane Rudert is a...
en-net: Micronutrients and Low Birth Weight - India
Dear colleagues, I am a Research Analyst working with a Tufts University/USAID study, evaluating the sustainability of impacts and activities within Title II food aid and...
FEX: Improving complementary feeding practices through a comprehensive health systems strengthening approach: experiences from Egypt
View this article as a pdf Naglaa Arafa is a Nutrition Officer for UNICEF in the Egypt Country Office. Moataz Saleh is a Nutrition Specialist for UNICEF in the Egypt Country...
FEX: Improving maternal nutrition in South Asia: Implications for child wasting prevention efforts
This is a summary of a Field Exchange 'views' article that was included in issue 63 - a special edition on child wasting in South Asia. The original article was authored by...
FEX: Editorial
View this article as a pdf Lisez cet article en français ici A warm welcome to our 63rd edition of Field Exchange, focused on child wasting in South Asia. The idea for...
FEX: Food for thought: Supplementary feeding programme or ‘antenatal feeding programme’ for pregnant women
By Michael H Golden Michael Golden is Emeritus Professor at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. An independent physician and researcher, he has over 40 years of experience...
FEX: MMS on Essential Medicine List
View this article as a pdf Multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), which have been shown to reduce the risk of small-for-gestational age birth, low birth weight and...
Reference this page
Multiple micronutrient supplementation to improve the quality of nutrition care and prevent low birthweight. Field Exchange 68 , November 2022. p74. www.ennonline.net/fex/68/mmsadvocacybrief
(ENN_7483)