Maternal under-nutrition is an extremely neglected area of public health. Dr. Ian Darnton-Hill demonstrates how we can reduce the global burden of disease by addressing micronutrient deficiencies in utero. Women in poor countries do not meet the average daily requirements for many micronutrients, such as iron, Vitamin D and folate. Iron deficiency and anemia, for example, affect an estimated 1.6 billion women and result in 800,000 deaths. But this is just the tip of the iceberg: poor maternal nutrition has severe consequences on the next generation, affecting the physical and intellectual development of children as well as disease burden in later life. Darnton-Hill proposes the use of multiple micronutrient (MMN) supplements for pregnant women to remedy the root of the problem. There is a growing body of evidence showing the benefits of MMN supplements in improving health outcomes for mothers and infants. Furthermore, these benefits have lasting consequences on the intellectual function of the child. These findings emphasize the importance of nutritional intervention as a tool to improve health outcomes associated with gender and poor social status.