AKHTER RASOOL
The journey of a thousand miles, it is said, begins with a single step. For a human being, that journey begins in the womb. The nutritional health of a woman during pregnancy, and even before she conceives, does far more than influence her baby’s birth weight; it scripts the child’s lifelong health, cognitive potential, and resilience against disease. Yet, in the remote and economically challenged corners of our nation, this sacred period is faced with profound challenges.
Foremost among these is the pale shadow of anaemia, India’s most stubborn adversary. According to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21), a staggering 57% of pregnant women in India are anaemic. This condition, primarily driven by deficiencies in iron, Vitamin B12, and folate, starves both mother and baby of vital oxygen. The consequences are severe: profound fatigue for the mother, increased risk of life-threatening haemorrhage during childbirth, and a strong link to premature births and dangerously low birth weights.
Further compounding the problem, a major scientific review of Indian data found that traditional vegetarian diets—frequently followed due to religious and cultural beliefs, as well as economic necessity given the high cost of nutrient-rich animal foods—significantly heighten the risk of Vitamin B12 deficiency. This shortage is critically linked to dangerous pregnancy outcomes, including a higher likelihood of preterm births and babies born with low birth weight.
Beyond these specific deficiencies lies a more fundamental, and heartbreaking, problem: many mothers are simply not eating enough food. Chronic hunger remains a grim reality. The latest NFHS-5 data reveals that over 18% of women in their childbearing years are underweight. This maternal under nutrition sets a tragic trap even before a child is born, programming the baby for poor growth and launching a vicious cycle of ill health that passes from one generation to the next.
The consequences of this nutritional crisis are visible in the sobering statistics of Indian children under five: high rates of stunting (where children are too short for their age) and wasting (dangerously thin for their height). These conditions inflict irreversible damage on a child’s physical growth and cognitive potential.
Recognizing this national crisis, the Government of India has responded with a robust framework of initiatives. A cornerstone of this effort is the Anaemia Mukt Bharat (Anaemia-Free India) strategy. This intensive national mission has a multi-pronged approach: distributing Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) tablets to pregnant women and adolescent girls, promoting point-of-care testing for early detection, and conducting biannual deworming programs to combat the underlying causes of deficiency.
The cornerstone of maternal and child health, however, remains the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme. Through its vast network of Anganwadi Centres, it delivers Take-Home Rations (THR), hot cooked meals, and crucial health education to pregnant and nursing mothers.
This is complemented by the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), which provides financial aid directly into a mother’s bank account. This cash incentive is designed to encourage essential health-seeking behaviors, such as registering the pregnancy early and attending all required prenatal check-ups.
The National Health Mission (NHM) forms the critical healthcare backbone that makes these check-ups meaningful. Under the NHM, antenatal visits include comprehensive care: monitoring the mother’s weight and blood pressure, checking haemoglobin levels for anaemia, administering tetanus immunizations, and ensuring a steady supply of IFA tablets. Furthermore, programs like the Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) within the NHM guarantee free care and skilled medical attention during childbirth, promoting safe institutional deliveries and protecting both mother and newborn.
Yet, for these schemes to truly succeed, we must collectively strive to bridge the last mile. Distributing food rations is not enough; we must empower families with knowledge about local, affordable, nutrient-rich foods. We must better support our overburdened Anganwadi and ASHA workers, the frontline heroes of this battle, with continuous training and community-wide respect.
Our collective mission must be laser-focused on the “first 1,000 days”—the irreplaceable window from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday. This golden period demands a unified response from every sector of society—government, healthcare, communities, and families—to ensure that health and nutrition are not only accessible and affordable but also embraced and understood.
For when we nourish a mother, we do far more than feed one person. We lay the groundwork for a healthier, stronger, and more capable generation. Together, we must ensure that no mother and no child remain hidden in the shadows of malnutrition. Our nation’s future, in its brightest form, depends on this single, vital commitment.
(Author is a Veterinarian and Independent Researcher: Email: [email protected])
