Experts to discuss hidden hunger in expecting mother, its effect on child at two-day meet in Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI) Experts in the field of science and public health from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka will gather here for a two-day meet to discuss how micronutrient deficiency in pregnant women can adversely affect the neurological development of the unborn child.

The UK-South Asia Maternal Micronutrient and Infant Neurodevelopment Study (SACMIND) will be held on November 6 and 7 at the Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research. The SACMIND consortium is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, UK.

Experts said micronutrients like Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Iron, Folate, and Zinc are crucial for newborn health. Deficiencies of these may lead to neurological problems and hinder mental growth.

Over the past decades, 37 peer-reviewed global studies have established the link between maternal micronutrient deficiencies and child neurodevelopment.

Furthermore, 18 intervention studies conducted over the years show that when such deficiencies are corrected through supplements or medications during pregnancy, the child's development improves significantly.

According to Dr Jitender Nagpal, the principal investigator of the SACMIND project and the deputy medical director at the Sitaram Bhartia Hospital, discussions will focus on strategies to overcome micronutrient deficiencies and bridge the gap between research, policy, and practice.

The experts will also discuss establishing a regional research group for maternal micronutrition and infant neurodevelopment and strengthening nutritional security during pregnancy, he said.

"Scientists and public health experts from various countries will work together to find practical solutions to the problem of hidden hunger, a form of malnutrition in which pregnant women consume adequate food, but the diet lacks essential micronutrients needed for optimal health and fetal development," Dr Nagpal explained.

This meeting represents a vital step in the regional mission to address maternal micronutrient deficiencies and their long-term effects on infant neurodevelopment.

At the core of this agenda is the fight against hidden hunger -- malnutrition caused by a lack of essential vitamins and minerals despite sufficient caloric intake.

In South Asia, this issue disproportionately affects pregnant women and can lead to intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, preterm births, and impaired brain development in infants, Dr Nagpal said.

The meeting will highlight the biological links between maternal nutrition and fetal brain growth, emphasising the urgent need for collaborative regional action to combat this silent crisis, the doctor added. PTI PLB NSD NSD