Gender equity through strengthening maternal nutrition and health in resource-limited settings

Rural, remote and marginalized people in areas of suboptimal healthcare service delivery are at increased risk of poor health outcomes during and after pregnancy, such as high blood pressure. Eating nutritious foods during pregnancy has been recognized to support healthy development of the baby, but less is known about the impact on the health of mothers, especially after childbirth. This gap limits the ability to make evidence-based recommendations and contributes to a lower prioritization of mothers’ well-being.
The proposed research seeks to answer the following research questions:
1. What is the current evidence on the impact of nutrition on women’s health during and after pregnancy?
2. Is there a relationship between maternal diets with imbalanced nutrients in sub-Saharan African countries and developing high blood pressure between 20-34 weeks of pregnancy, after 34 weeks, and/or after childbirth?
3. What strategies can be co-designed with community partners to strengthen maternal nutrition and health capacities of vulnerable pregnant populations?
Findings aim to support maternal interventions to support gender equity and reduce health inequities for rural, remote and marginalized populations in Canada and globally.