MATERNAL AND CHILD UNDERNUTRITION.

Running head: MATERNAL AND CHILD UNDERNUTRITION
MATERNAL AND CHILD UNDERNUTRITION
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1MATERNAL AND CHILD UNDERNUTRITION
Introduction:
In Australia, the maternal and child undernutrition cases have been standard as a most
important public health concern, because it has been contributing majorly in the increasing
rate of morbidity and mortality. Throughout the world, the nutrition-deficiency factors have
been donating to almost 35% of child mortality and around 11% of the total worldwide
disease burden. The average death rate of children below the age of five years is nearly 2.2
million which is because of undernutrition outcomes. The maternal undernutrition in the
reason behind the undernutrition in child which occurs during conception and pregnancy
period because of the lack of micro nutrition (Cash et al. 2015). In order to decreases the
cases of maternal and child undernutrition, proper dietary supplements should be provided to
the mother during the pregnancy period and the child after the birth. Australian region that
fall under low and middle income areas are more susceptible to cases of undernutrition
mother and child. Malnutrition is also known as the silent epidemic, is found to affect
approximately 35-43 percent of population in Australian and which leads to hospitalization or
death. The Australian Nutrition Care Survey identified that approximately 30% of the
hospitalised patients are undernutrition effected, with 6% of them are severely affected by the
undernutrition. In the assignment, the reason behind the occurrence of the maternal and child
undernutrition conditions, along with the future outcome is discussed along with the
condition in Australia (Arrish, Yeatman and Williamson 2016). The strategies and laws are
also discussed in order to restore the health condition and reduce the death rate related to
undernutrition.

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Discussion:
Maternal undernutrition:
Maternal nutrition during the conception and pregnancy plays a very important role in the
development of the placental-embryo connection and is found to effect the child throughout
his/her life. Low maternal nutrition produces the low birth weight and also has significant
effect on the diseases and illness of the new-born (Toole et al. 2015). The placenta is a body
organ of pregnant women which functions in transferring or exchanging nutrients, air and
wastes with the fatal body. Placenta’s morphology and nutrient transmission capacity is
found to determine the prenatal growth path of the foetus which influence the child’s birth
weight. Trans placental exchange is totally dependent on the placental, uterine and umbilical
blood flow. The maternal nutrition is not only influences the placental homeostasis but it is
also associated with the ideal child growth (Ersino et al. 2018).
Decrease in nutrient availability during conception and during the pregnancy period
decreases foetal growth. Maternal undernutrition in case of a pregnant woman might be an
outcome of low consumption of dietary nutrients which can be because of limited supply of
food or nausea and vomiting conditions which continues extensively after the first-trimester
effects of pregnancy. Short duration in inter-pregnancy may also result in maternal under
nutritional at the beginning of the pregnancy, whereas it is observed that a pregnant teenage
mothers contest with its own foetuses for nutrients throughout the pregnancy (Victora et al.
2016).
Women who witness undernutrition during the time of conception and throughout her
pregnancy period, they often face conditions where the body requires additional nutrition
because of the growing foetus. The body becomes deficit of appropriate nourishment for the
mother as well as the child, in such cases the motility rate of the mother during pregnancy
and delivery of the child increases as compared to those of the healthy mothers. It also effects

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the mortality rate of the child. In most of the evolving nations, the maternal undernutrition is
determined as the most important contributor to illness, death, and poor birth consequences
which also includes low birth weight, mortality of the new-born, and which follows child
malnutrition (Ashorn et al. 2018). And it is found that such children experience lack of
growth in following years, witness more diseases cases, less active in studies and other
actives such as sports and are found to be less creative as adults. According to the World
Health Organization (WHO), women who enter into the labour associations are also the chief
factors to maternal and child undernutrition (WHO 2019). It is found that if a mother is not
provided with adequate amount of child care, the child will receive lesser amount of
consistent feedings which will include proper nutrition that will lead the child towards
undernutrition (Correia-Branco, Keating & Martel 2015).
Child undernutrition:
Child undernutrition is one of the greatest contributor to mortality under the age of
five years because of the greater vulnerability of the children suffering from malnutrition to
various types of chronic and acute infections and slow recovery rate from the illness. In cases
where the child faces undernutrition inside the mother’s womb, it may result in different
health issues for the child such as metabolic, cardiovascular (CV) and growth adaptations.
Children who are retarded with the ability to reach the optimum height or reliably experience
weight loss from the childhood are majorly affected throughout the life in several ways (Null
et al. 2018). They also face disparity in reaching their optimum size as an adult and also
witnesses less physical ability for effort, their brain development and functions are also
affected which results in lower IQ level and they are vulnerable to higher risk of infection.
These cases are the major reasons a child experiences morbidity and mortality at a very early
age. Child malnutrition has its sever effects on a child’s education achievement (WHO 2019).
The degree of intellectual impairments in the child is directly connected to the severity of

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undersize and Iron Deficiency Anaemia condition. Various studies have showed that
underweight and undersized children in the early two years of their life have lower rate of
intellectual test scores, overdue registration, higher rate of absence and more cases of
repetition of classes as compared to those of the healthy children. It is also found that,
Vitamin A deficiency effects the immunity and increases the chances of diseases resulting in
retardation is various aspects of life that can be, physical, mental or social. Child
undernutrition also impacts on the economic productivity of a country (Smith and Haddad
2015). The mental and physical impairment which is caused by the iodine deficiency is
eternal and is directly associated to the efficiency loss.
Throughout the world, children are considered as malnourished when they are observed
undersized, wasted, with various health issues or skinny. Malnourished children are referred
as those who are below the average height of children of their age and are underweight
according to their height and age group (Chadio and Kotsampasi 2017). The World Health
Organisation (WHO), and the World Bank has estimated that around 39% of children below
the age group of five years in the low income nations were witnessing sever cases of
undersized; about 20% of the children were found to be facing average or severe underweight
issues; and near around 11% of the children were experiencing low weight according to their
height. The chief factor effecting the children by malnutrition were low income, lack of
parental education, appropriate access to healthcare services and safe and hygienic
environment and food supply, size of the family and the ethical values (WHO 2019).

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A proper and healthy maternal dietary arrangement, during the conception period and
throughout the pregnancy has the ability to reduce the risk factors associated with the
maternal and infant because of undernutrition, as well as provide a better, long and healthy
life. Assimilating nutrition-specific interferences into the maternal and child health plans
should be the significance for any health schemes. Ideal maternal and child nutrition in the
starting 1,000 days may help to ensure healthy mothers as well as new-borns with good
growth and development for children. It is also found to decrease exposure to any kind of
infectious diseases and the undesirable cycle of illness and undernutrition that leads to mother
and child death (Geraghty et al. 2015).
In order to retain a better nutrient condition, pregnant women should intake proper
amount of micronutrient:
MICRONUTRIENTS DIETARY SOURCES
Vitamin A Dark coloured vegetables and fruits
effected
immune
system
exposure of disease
causing pathogen
chronic
and acute
dicease
long term
illness
lack consuption of
micronutrient, loss of energy,
poor appetite
maternal
and child
undernut
rition

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Plant oils
Retinoid found in animal sources such as
dairy products, meats, fish and eggs
(Polanska et al. 2017)
Folate Cereals
Yeast extracts
Beans
Fruit juice
Vitamin B12 Fish
Red meat
Chicken
Dairy product
Eggs (Bianchi et al. 2015)
Vitamin K Spinach
Plant oil
Vegetables
Calcium Legumes
Yogurt
Milk
Cheese (Shankar et al. 2017)
Selenium Poultry
Eggs
Seafood

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Manganese Legumes
Some shellfish
Green vegetables
Peas, beans and nuts (Cash et al. 2015)
Omega-3 Fish
Iodine Iodine fortified salt
Iron Legumes
Grains
Fish
Meat
Vegetables (Darnton-Hill and Mkparu
2015).
The aim of nutrition supplementation to mother and children includes the idea to treat and
assimilate severely malnourished population. The nutritional supplement improves the overall
health condition and wellbeing of a pregnant mother and the child, which ultimately increase
the ability to fight against various chronic and acute illnesses and hence decrease morbidity.
It is also found to be preventing anaemia conditions in the mother which will improve her
health and the pregnancy result (Szutorisz and Hurd 2016). Improving the amount of calorie
intake and preventing the cases of child birth with low weight will also decreases the cases of
mortality and morbidity in a population. a pregnant woman should be provided with proper
calcium supplement to avoid any kind of bone related issues. Undernutrition is one of the
cause of retarder growth and development in children which affect them in longer run, proper
nutritional diet and healthcare facility will accelerate the physical and mental development of
children and health of the mother. It will also improve the educational performance and

8MATERNAL AND CHILD UNDERNUTRITION
learning capabilities of children and also effect the future of the children in the upcoming
career (Pinkerton et al. 2016).
Effect of child and maternal malnutrition in child development
Malnutrition in an adult is a result of having a diet with low or poor nutrition n both
infant as well as pregnant women. Maternal malnutrition hinders the development of a child.
According to De Onis, (2017), effect of malnutrition in child’s development can be
reversed if it is identified within two years of age. Child malnutrition one of the important
factor responsible for increased rate of under-five mortality rate among the children. If the
child is born from a malnutrition mother, chances of stunted growth, low mental development
with IQ is increased. Along with that under nutrition mother gives to low weight births,
which hinders the child development in future. Maternal and child under nutrition have the
long life impact on the individuals’ productivity and economic growth.
Child’s under nutrition impacts the development of child in different ways such as it
hinders the physical growth as well as the mental growth of the child. Child with poor
nutrition diet do not reach to their optimum height as compared to other child. The amount of
cognitive impairments is correlated to the growth of height (Bhutta et al. 2017). Due to the
lack of proper nutrition they are also not able to gain weight appropriate to their age and
remain under weighed. Along with the physical growth complication, the mental
development of the child is also effected, which results in low level of IQ. Malnutrition in
child hinders the education of the child. Higher rate of absenteeism, class repetition and
delayed enrolment is observed in under nutrition child (Vishal and Pathak 2017).
Children who are suffering from malnutrition have low immunity. They have
increased rate of vulnerability to disease and infection. Their body cannot cope up with the
external environment and increases the risk of infection among them. Due to low immunity

9MATERNAL AND CHILD UNDERNUTRITION
they get ill with little changes in the social environment. Child with the deficiency of vitamin
A have increased risk of getting infected with infectious disease as compared to other child.
Iron deficiency in early age can lead to anaemia (Miller et al. 2016).
Malnutrition in early childhood also impacts the economic productivity of the adult in
future. One of the main reason behind their low economic growth is stunted growth, mental
retardation and improper schooling. According to (Motherchildnutrition.org, 2019), people
with early under nutrition shows less productivity as compared to other individuals. 1%
decrease in the height is supposed to reduce the productivity rate by 1.38%. In addition, 1%
drop in the status of iron in the body gives rise to 1% reduced productivity.
Malnutrition in child is also one of the factor responsible for blindness among the
adult. Deficiency of vitamin A, in child might give rise to night blindness or complete
blindness in adults. Malnutrition gives rise to muscular dysfunction, fatigue, weakness in
adults. They are not able. Hence people suffering from malnutrition have to spend more on
their health status as they are more vulnerable to any disease. People belonging to lower
economy class cannot bear the expenses and due to the lack of proper treatment, rate of
premature death increases (Stobaugh et al. 2017).
The Public Health Association of Australia demands for the Australian Government
to bring up a National Nutrition Strategy. The strategy will be helpful in situations of
undernutrition and obesity, and would provide with better development in providing proper
healthy nutrition to the population according to their need and healthy environment that
would be disease free (Backholer et al. 2016). The National Nutrition Policy will have the
focus in increasing Australia’s health, prosperity and well-being, improving the nutrition in
the region, supporting the environmental condition and decrease the case of undernutrition
and diseases cases among all Australians. The United Nations Steering Committee on

10MATERNAL AND CHILD UNDERNUTRITION
Nutrition (UNSCN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture
Organization is supported by the Dietitians Association of Australia, the National Heart
Foundation of Australia and Nutrition Australia and various other non-government
organisations to avoid the risk factors related to undernutrition and any other nutrition related
problems (WHO 2019).
Conclusion:
In order to conclude, it can be stated that, a proper nutrition is a major requirement to
reduce the maternal and child death risks throughout the world. Undernutrition has an
undeviating effect on the mother as well as the child health condition as it involves the
immune system functioning and increases the chances of infectious diseases, and elevates the
risk and duration of any disease. It can also be result of poor health condition, as chronic and
acute diseases increase the energy requirements in the body and often reduce the appetite and
nutrient consumption of a person. Undernutrition can be enhanced due to lack of proper
nutrition along with poor hygiene, environmental condition, family size and income sources,
which restricts a person to achieve a proper health condition.
Interventions should be implemented which increase the iron and vitamin uptake in a
person and reduce blood loss and infection during pregnancy or during child birth, and to
ensure the uptake of proper micronutrients which will reduce the chances of anaemia in
pregnant women. In cases of high risk areas, it is required to keep proper track of the iron
level and storage in pregnant women before and after pregnancy. Iron supplementation as a
dietary source is one of the effective measures that helps to reduce the chance of anaemia and
undernutrition in pregnant women and the child. Increasing the high impact nutritional
interventions is a very important part in preventing maternal and child deaths cases.

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12MATERNAL AND CHILD UNDERNUTRITION
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