Why Maternal Nutrition

Women’s and girls’ health, nutrition, and resilience are the foundation for strong families and communities.

Yet, in many contexts, women and girls traditionally eat last and consume less food of high nutritional quality, such as meat, fish, or eggs.

Poor maternal nutrition is a major driver of maternal health risks, adverse birth outcomes, newborn morbidity, and mortality, as well as poor postnatal growth and cognition.

Maternal micronutrient status should be viewed as a continuum across the course of a woman’s life. Women and girls have unique nutritional requirements, particularly during adolescence, pre-conception, pregnancy, and while breastfeeding.

The nutritional vulnerability of mothers is particularly high during pregnancy and lactation, when their nutrient requirements increase and nutrient stores may become depleted.

Gernand et al. 2016. Micronutrient deficiencies in pregnancy worldwide: Health effects and prevention. Nature Publishing Group.​
Aviram et al. 2011. Maternal obesity: implications for pregnancy outcome and long-term risks-a link to maternal nutrition. Int J Gynaecol Obstet.

Maternal micronutrient status should be viewed as a continuum across the pre-conception, pregnancy, and lactation period. From adolescence onwards, a woman’s nutrient needs are higher, yet the fulfillment of her nutritional requirements is more at risk than that of a man. As a girl, adolescent, pregnant woman, or young mother, a woman’s access to nutritious foods is limited by socio-cultural inequities.

The development and growth of a fetus require additional energy and nutrients; hence, their requirements during pregnancy are increased. The same is true for breastmilk production and the increased nutrient requirements of lactating mothers. Without compensatory dietary intake, the mother’s nutrient stores risk being depleted.

Additional energy costs of pregnancy are around 300-390 kcal/day [11, 12]. Additional energy costs of lactation are estimated to be around 630-650 kcal/day [13, 14].

Micronutrient needs are also increased during pregnancy and lactation, though levels depend on the specific mineral or vitamin.  RDAs for several B-vitamins, for instance, are 25-30% higher in pregnancy and up to 50 % higher in lactation than for non-pregnant non-lactating women.

Women are especially vulnerable to anemia. For women aged 12-49, iron is needed to make the new blood that replaces the blood lost during each menstrual period. Women who are not consuming enough iron-rich foods are at risk for developing anemia and may need supplementation to prevent low iron levels.

While iron and folate receive the most attention, multiple micronutrient deficiencies occur simultaneously when diets are poor. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are even more vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies due to higher needs to support the growth and development of their baby and the harmful consequences of deficiencies on pregnancy outcomes.[15]

For instance, iodine is essential in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy; without it, miscarriages and stillbirths are more common, and the development of a baby’s brain and healthy cognition is compromised. Poor maternal B-vitamin status may be a major global cause of homocysteinemia and poor pregnancy outcomes. Vitamin D deficiencies are associated with poor fetal and infant skeletal growth and mineralization, and poor infant tooth mineralization. While women need 2.5 times more iron than men on average, this requirement increases further during pregnancy.[16]