Revitalizing focus on optimal nutrition for mothers: A series of twelve technical webinars on improving maternal nutrition in India
During pregnancy, Indian women face various nutritional risks due to factors like being too short, young, thin, or overweight. Additionally, many pregnant women suffer from anaemia and multiple micronutrient deficiencies. These nutritional deficiencies put them at a higher risk of complications, illnesses, and even death during pregnancy. It can also lead to problems for the new-borns, such as stillbirths, low birth weight and developmental delays. To address this issue, the Government of India has made a commitment to improve maternal nutrition through programmes such as POSHAN Abhiyaan and Anemia Mukt Bharat. Since 2017, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) have led a maternal nutrition consortium to prioritize maternal nutrition, involving experts from diverse sectors to discuss policies, promote innovation, and exchange information. In 2021, the consortium organized a series of monthly webinars focusing on different aspects of maternal nutrition. Each webinar covered specific topics such as severe thinness, obesity, depression, anaemia, nutrient requirements during pregnancy, digital innovation, the role of self-help groups, maternal diets, and the FIGO (The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics) nutrition checklist among others. Knowledgeable speakers presented evidence, identified gaps, and suggested ways to make progress. They shared experiences and insights from both global and Indian perspectives, including original research, field experiences, meta-analyses, and case studies. You can access the recorded webinars through the provided links in the resources section. These technical resources are meant to stimulate policy discussions and facilitate the delivery of maternal nutrition services across different states in India. We hope that many you will find these resources helpful in advancing the maternal nutrition outcomes.
