Experts in nutrition and education in the Philippines are urging pregnant women to prioritise completing their prenatal care.
Following through with a complete prenatal care programme ensures that children are born healthy and are less likely to be malnourished. Issues that arise during pregnancy can have lasting effects on both physical development and cognitive abilities of the child.
The Importance of Prenatal Care
Prenatal care is the healthcare than a pregnant mother receives. It is not simply about routine checkups, it also includes vaccinations, proper nutrition, and guidance on maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
Read also: Revolutionising Prenatal Care: Discover the Latest Advances
Ellen Ruth Abella is the officer-in-charge of the Nutrition Policy and Planning Division at the National Nutrition Council (NNC), Philippines. She explained to reporters at an E-skwela forum on nutrition and education the consequences of malnutrition in children.
Malnutrition does not only refer to undernutrition with stunting and wasting, but also micronutrient deficiencies, hidden hunger, and even overnutrition with overweight and obesity.
The consequences of malnutrition, she noted, are severe and can impact both the physical and cognitive development of a child.
The Dangers of Low Birth Weight
One of the most immediate risks of inadequate prenatal care is the birth of a low-weight baby. Abella emphasised that when a pregnant woman does not receive proper nutrition, she is more likely to give birth to a low birth weight child.
“Low birth weight babies are at a higher risk of becoming stunted if they do not receive appropriate interventions after birth,” she warned.
This risk increases if exclusive breastfeeding is not practised, or if breastmilk is not provided at the correct times and for the recommended duration.
The introduction of complementary feeding after 6 months is another critical period. If the child does not receive sufficient nutrients during this phase, stunting starts.
Progress in halving the number of children who are stunted, as well as in reducing the number of babies born with low birth weight is too slow https://t.co/nvjKQh8AmP#hunger #SOFI2019 pic.twitter.com/UTg4I1Z8sO
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) July 15, 2019
The Crucial Window – The First 1000 Days
Abella called on all pregnant women to make full use of the free services available at health centres, especially during the first 1,000 days of life. This is a critical period that spans from pregnancy until a child’s second birthday.
