In this episode of Milestones in Maternal Nutrition, Professor Andrew Prentice speaks with Professor Sant-Rayn Pasricha about the global challenge of combating maternal anemia and why progress in reducing it has been slower than hoped. Professor Pasricha explains how anemia is defined through hemoglobin thresholds, including recent updates to WHO recommendations, and outlines its prevalence among women and pregnant women, particularly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The discussion explores the causes of anemia across the reproductive life cycle, from iron deficiency and menstrual blood loss in adolescence to the increased iron demands, hemodilution, and blood loss associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Professor Pasricha also highlights why anemia in pregnancy matters — including its links to fatigue, postpartum hemorrhage, low birth weight, and postpartum anemia — while reviewing the evidence for iron supplementation and emerging approaches such as intravenous iron to improve maternal health in low-income settings.
Author(s):
Andrew Prentice, Sant-Rayn Pasricha
