Maternal Nutrition

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Promote Maternal Nutrition

Background

Bangladesh has a large population among which almost 50% belong to the women group. There is a cycle of malnutrition in childhood and adolescence continues throughout pregnancy, leading to low weight gain during pregnancy, and the birth of low birth weight babies reflects the longer-term effect of malnutrition from one generation to another. Under-nutrition among women in reproductive age is still a challenge to the development of the country. The Government of Bangladesh has, for many years, employed different strategies and programs to address this problem of malnutrition in the country. Till now, Bangladesh has made considerable progress in this sector. Countrywide awareness creating programs are going on for implementation of strategy on maternal nutrition by providing supportive environment through creating mass awareness beyond health systems of Bangladesh.

The BMMS 2011 indicated a substantial reduction in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), an annual rate of decrease 5.6 percent. Bangladesh has set targets to achieve the goal of the Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Program (HPNSP) to reduce MMR to less than 143 deaths per 100,000 live births. Bangladesh has a large population among which almost 50% belong to the women group. There is a cycle of malnutrition in childhood and adolescence continues throughout pregnancy, leading to low weight gain during pregnancy, and the birth of low birth weight babies reflects the longer-term effect of malnutrition from one generation to another. Under-nutrition among women in reproductive age is still a challenge to the development of the country. The Government of Bangladesh has, for many years, employed different strategies and programs to address this problem of malnutrition in the country. Till now, Bangladesh has made considerable progress in this sector. Countrywide awareness creating programs are going on for implementation of strategy on maternal nutrition by providing supportive environment through creating mass awareness beyond health systems of Bangladesh. Bangladesh has a large population among which almost 50% belong to the women group. There is a cycle of malnutrition in childhood and adolescence continues throughout pregnancy, leading to low weight gain during pregnancy, and the birth of low birth weight babies reflects the longer-term effect of malnutrition from one generation to another. Under-nutrition among women in reproductive age is still a challenge to the development of the country. The Government of Bangladesh has, for many years, employed different strategies and programs to address this problem of malnutrition in the country. Till now, Bangladesh has made considerable progress in this sector. Countrywide awareness creating programs are going on for implementation of strategy on maternal nutrition by providing supportive environment through creating mass awareness beyond health systems of Bangladesh.

Aim

The aim of this project is to increase knowledge and awareness among the pregnant and lactating mothers, other family members including caregivers and govt. health workers on key health and nutrition messages regarding maternal nutrition through awareness creation program at the community level.

Brief of activities

Year	Name of activity	No. of activity	No. of participants
2017-2018	Orientation to Promote Maternal Nutrition (Courtyard Session)	1600	Around 32,000
	Workshops were conducted to develop handout, reminder tools/poster, monitoring checklist on maternal nutrition	03
2018-2019	Awareness Creation on Maternal Nutrition through Orientation	1545	Around 30,900
2016 to ongoing	Court yard session through members of Mother Support Group	ongoing	ongoing

Details of activities

Awareness creation through orientation

Fiscal year 2017-2018

In the financial year (2017-18) orientation to promote maternal nutrition had been implemented by Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN), National Nutrition Services (NNS) and Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF) along with MoHFW through the financial assistance of NNS in 51 districts, 115 upazilas, 664 unions including 1600 community clinic to ensure food and nutrition of pregnant and lactating mother.

Three Workshops were conducted to develop handout, reminder tools/poster, monitoring checklist on maternal nutrition.
Letter were send to Divisional director and UH&FPO to notify the project activity.
Courtyard sessions to conduct orientation session on maternal nutrition were rendered at the community level.
Pre and post-test were taken to evaluate project outcome. All the relevant topics were discussed in the courtyard session by trained BBF personnel.
Each group consisted of 20 members including pregnant and lactating mothers and their care givers.
Hand out on maternal nutrition were given to each participants of the orientation session. Posters on maternal nutrition were given to hang in the respective community clinic.

Fiscal year 2018-2019

In the financial year of 2018-19 orientation to promote maternal nutrition had been implemented by Institute of Public Health Nutrition (IPHN), National Nutrition Services (NNS) and Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF) along with MoHFW through the financial assistance of NNS.

A total number of 1545 orientation (covered 30,900 participants) was conducted among 1545 CC under eight divisions of Bangladesh. Total 30,900 pregnant/lactating mothers or their caregivers were trained and orientated. Handout on maternal nutrition were distributed among the beneficiaries of community. After overcome all difficulties like short duration and all other relevant issues Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation have successfully completed the huge amount of program in fixed time with quality.

Court yard session through members of Mother Support Group

2016 to ongoing

Members of mother support groups arrange court yard sessions with pregnant and lactating mothers to increase awareness among them and their caretakers.

They discussed about-

Nutritional requirement and food intake during pregnancy and lactating period
Importance of rest
Antenatal checkup and postnatal checkup
Five finger formula
Danger signs of pregnancy
Importance of breastfeeding
Attachment Position of breastfeeding
Role of family members to ensure proper nutrition for pregnant and lactating mothers.

Sometimes members of mother support groups visit pregnant and lactating mothers? house for individual counseling.