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Malnutrition could have devastating short-term and long-term effects on babies delivered by malnourished mothers, maternal health experts have said.
Some of the consequences include heart disease, diabetes, growth retardation, and mental retardation.
The gynaecologists noted that the growth and development of a baby were dependent on the mother’s nutritional status, warning that inadequate nutrition during pregnancy causes irreversible damage to the growth of the child.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise, the physicians explained that nutritional deficiencies could hinder fetal development and affect critical organ growth and metabolic functions.
They noted that these infants might face higher risks of obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular issues as they grow.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, the number of adolescent girls and women aged 15-49 years who are undernourished has soared from 5.6 million in 2018 to 7.3 million in 2021 in Nigeria.
UNICEF also noted that Nigeria is among the 12 hardest hit countries by the global food and nutrition crisis.
The global organisation added that inadequate nutrition during girls’ and women’s lives could lead to weakened immunity, poor cognitive development, and an increased risk of life-threatening complications – including during pregnancy and childbirth – risking mother’s lives.
Also, a 2022 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey revealed that 55 per cent of adolescent girls and women in Nigeria suffer from anaemia while nearly half of Nigerian women of reproductive age do not consume the recommended diet of at least 5 out of 10 food groups.
Reacting to the high rate of malnutrition in pregnant women, maternal health experts stressed that ensuring that expectant mothers receive adequate nutrition is essential for preventing a range of health problems in their children.
They called for collaboration with public health officials to develop initiatives that provide nutritional support to pregnant women and ensure they have access to the vitamins and minerals essential for a healthy pregnancy.
A renowned obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Joseph Akinde emphasised that malnutrition can take many forms, including overnutrition, which could lead to gestational diabetes in obese women.
The reproductive health expert who is a former Chairman of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter, warned that babies born to malnourished mothers may experience respiratory distress syndrome due to premature birth or intrauterine asphyxiation.
The physician noted that research suggests that intrauterine malnutrition may contribute to disease entities like pre-eclampsia later in life.
To mitigate these risks, Akinde recommended that pregnant women attend antenatal classes where they receive health education and guidance on consuming balanced diets using affordable food items.
The gynaecologist also urged expectant mothers to prioritise their nutritional health, and seek medical attention if they experience any difficulties.
He added, “A malnourished woman is likely to have very low blood levels in pregnancy (anaemia). Such pregnancy will be rough for the mother and the baby may turn out to be growth retarded being born with low birth weight and small for gestational age.
“The baby is an obligate parasite that is to say the baby extracts all the necessary ingredients for its own growth from the mother and it usually has to be in severe malnourished individuals for the baby to suffer severe consequences including intrauterine asphyxiation and stillbirth in some cases.
“Such growth retarded babies may not accomplish their full growth potentials and this may affect their mental capacity with attendant mental retardation.
“It has been suggested that some disease entities like pre-eclampsia may have their basis on account of intrauterine malnutrition which the individual had suffered while in utero in the mother. But this is just one of the theories being put forward as to the occurrence of certain disease entities in later life if they happened to have experienced intrauterine malnutrition.
“Malnutrition could be overnutrition or undernutrition. Very obese people are known to be prone to gestational diabetes.
“Babies born to malnourished mothers may experience respiratory distress syndrome as a result of being born premature or due to intrauterine asphyxiation and growth retardation.
“The critical elements needed for optimum development of the baby in the uterine include iron folic acid vitamins, an adequate amount of calories in the form of carbohydrates and of course protein and fat. These food classes must be consumed in a balanced fashion to ensure adequate nutrition during pregnancy.”
On his part, a consultant gynaecologist at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, Dr. Adeyemi Otunuya revealed that babies born to malnourished mothers may be predisposed to a range of debilitating health conditions later in life, including heart disease, diabetes, and mental health disorders.
According to him, intrauterine malnutrition can program the fetus’s metabolic pathways, setting the stage for chronic diseases that may not manifest until adulthood
Otunuya explained that when a pregnant woman suffers from malnutrition, her unborn child’s development is compromised, leading to changes in the baby’s physiology that can have lasting consequences.
“These changes can affect the child’s ability to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels, increasing their risk of developing conditions like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” he stated.
The reproductive expert noted that research suggests a link between intrauterine malnutrition and mental health issues, including depression and anxiety.
He explained, “The fetal brain is particularly vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies, which can impact neurotransmitter development and function, leading to mood disorders later in life.”
The expert warned that these health risks are not limited to severe cases of malnutrition.
He added that even mild deficiencies in essential nutrients like iron, folic acid, and vitamins could have a profound impact on fetal development.
Otunuya emphasised that prenatal care and nutrition education are critical in preventing these long-term health consequences.
