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  • Title: Women's nutrition -- convergence of programmes -- a critical issue.
    Author: Vir S.
    Journal: Indian J Matern Child Health; 1990; 1(3):74-7. PubMed ID: 12288697.
    Abstract:
    Many factors are responsible for malnutrition among women. Malnutrition is mainly caused by inadequate energy intake and nutritional anemia. Social factors affecting the energy balance include inappropriate intra family distribution, inadequate food intake during pregnancy, conception when younger than 18 years old, and continued high physical activity during pregnancy. Discrimination against girls in the form of insufficient food intake affects girls throughout their lives and contributes to poor adolescent growth and poor maternal stature (height and weight). Poor maternal stature has been linked with adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes: low birth weight infants and infant mortality. About 66% of infants were found to be of low birth weight among mothers weighing less than 40 kg and with a pregnancy weight gain of less than 5 kg. The recommended weight gain during pregnancy is 10-12 kg. Maternal weight has been found to be closely linked with negative effects on fetal growth and birth weight. Nutrition programs must contend with a variety of social, economic, health, and legislative approaches for improving women's status. Food supplementation during pregnancy and adolescence are as important as raising the marriage and conception age. Energy deficits of iron, vitamin A, and iodine need to be fulfilled. Energy saving devices would help to reduce the physical demands on women during pregnancy. Nutrition education for promoting adequate nutritional and energy intake and prevention of nutrient deficiencies needs to be implemented. Health workers have been known for inadequate attention to nutrition. The opportunity for nutritional supplementation and education is available during women's contacts with immunization interventions. A complex prescription applied continuously and in harmony with other health efforts will assure maternal nutritional support.
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