Global experts unite in Delhi to address hidden hunger in mothers, its impact on child brain growth

New Delhi, Nov 7 (PTI) Public health experts and policy makers from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka deliberated on how the deficiency of micronutrients in pregnant women can adversely affect the neurodevelopment of the unborn child at a two-day meet here.

At the Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, Delhi, scientists and public health experts, along with representatives from UNICEF and WHO, came together on a common platform under the SACMIND Stakeholders meeting held on November 6 and 7.

The focus was on understanding what various national surveys from these five South Asian countries reveal and identifying actionable steps to ensure healthier newborns.

Discussions also centred on the measures taken so far to address specific micronutrient deficiencies among pregnant women, and how effective those efforts have been in improving outcomes.

Speaking at the meeting, Dr Vani Sethi from UNICEF said that in South Asia, 40 per cent of children are born with low birth weight. Maternal micronutrients during pregnancy play a key role in improving birth weight and pregnancy outcomes.

"While there are programs addressing anaemia, there is a need to review and expand programmes to tackle all micronutrient deficiencies, particularly B12 and Vitamin D, and to study the role of micronutrient malnutrition in neurodevelopment outcomes," she said.

These ongoing studies and initiatives aim to bridge the knowledge gap in policy and programs linking micronutrient nutrition in pregnancy with children's neurodevelopment and inform future policy improvements, Dr Sethi said.

Dr Jitender Nagpal, Principal Investigator of SACMIND and Deputy Medical Director at Sitaram Bhartia Institute, highlighted that around 30 million women experience pregnancy every year in India, yet there has been no comprehensive national survey to assess micronutrient deficiencies in them.

He emphasised the need to strengthen surveillance systems for maternal nutrition, ensuring data-driven policymaking and action plans.

Dr Nagpal added that attention must be given to prevent deficiencies of key micronutrients such as B12 and Vitamin D during pregnancy to safeguard the health and development of newborns.

Dr Sheila Chandra Vir, Founder Director of the Public Health Nutrition and Development Centre, noted that the findings discussed during this meeting reaffirm the direct link between maternal micronutrient deficiency and neurodevelopment in children.

She urged policymakers to prioritise this issue and promote awareness and education among women.

After two days of intensive deliberations, experts agreed to share the key findings with governments across the region, urging them to take maternal micronutrient deficiency seriously, develop robust policies, and establish effective monitoring systems to ensure that interventions truly reach the ground level. PTI PLB APL MPL MPL