Malnutrition-Related Anemia in Pregnancy: Preferential Targeting to Poor, Underdeveloped, Marginalized Societies

Abstract

Malnutrition is a very common issue in rural communities. This health problem exerts long-lasting effects in pregnant woman and their infants. The lack of iron during pregnancy can affect both mother’s and child’s health, and needs to be diagnosed in time. Furthermore, infections such as malaria, tuberculosis and parasitic diseases increase the risk of anemia. This risk increases when the mothers have an irregular diet, excluding primarily dark green leafy vegetables and not other iron rich products. In addition, there is a predisposition to develop some diseases, and even lose their offspring due to childhood mortality as a result of inadequate feeding. The deficiencies of Vitamins A, B12 and riboflavin, are the main micronutrient causes of multiple complications. Antenatal visits upon learning of the pregnancy, are recommended in order to detect any health issue related with malnutrition; also, iron supplementation is a general recommendation in pregnancies as are regular doctor check-ups. Pregnant teenagers are considered as a high-risk group with regards to anemia development, due to their limited education, lack of economical stability, and (in most cases) the lack of planning for the pregnancy. To detect anemia, medical personnel generally perform blood tests to analyze hemoglobin levels. Unfortunately, in many marginalized communities, malnutrition and anemia go undetected and untreated, negatively affecting the quality of life of the mother and her offspring, leaving them to face to severe complications. This issue is a public problem and requires immediate attention, as its effects are long lasting both psychologically and physically.