Abstract

Maternal nutrition has long-lasting effects on the health of the offspring. The ability of mother to provide nutrients for her unborn baby is a critical factor for fetal health and its survival. Failure in supplying the adequate amount of nutrients to meet fetal demand can lead to fetal malnutrition. The fetus responds and adapts to under nutrition but by doing so it permanently alters the structure and function of the body. There is growing evidence that maternal nutrition can induce epigenetic and metabolic modifications of the fetus that may underlie the prevalence of many chronic diseases of adulthood. It is now of crucial importance to gain the understanding of the intricacies of nutrition for mothers and the children and the long-term effects on the health of an individual. This review highlighted the causes and effects of malnutrition in pregnant women, nursing mothers and their babies and the basic nutritional requirements needed to correct the deficiency. It enumerated the good nutritional status which is achieved by eating nutritious foods at all times. Finally, recommendations were made for the roles and obligations of the pregnant women and nursing mothers towards safer motherhood and infant survival.

Key words: Nutrition, pregnant women, mother and infant.