Better Believe It, This Supplement Cuts Anemia In Pregnant Women

This supplement may not be a wonder mixture, but it has proven very effective in reducing cases of anemia among pregnant women.

It is because of the above feat that the Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), as it is called has become a familiar sight amongst pregnant women receiving antenatal care.

This much can be attested to by those of them who have patronied the Dutse-Alhaji Primary Healthcare Centre in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT):

MMS contains 15 micronutrients compared with two in the previous Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) tablets.

MMS has a better smell, making it generally easier to ingest by patients

IT does not trigger nausea, leading to improved compliance during pregnancy.

Ekwueme said MMS improves birth outcomes but does not eliminate pregnancy complications, which was why antenatal attendance in certified facilities remains essential.

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These and more were attested to by officers there, specifically, Officer-in-Charge of the facility, Dr Deborah Joshua, and the FCT State Nutrition Officer, Mrs Chinyere Ekwueme.

According to Dr Joshua: “With the use of MMS, we have less incidents of women coming down with anemia.

“Most of our women are doing well, and for the few ones that were anemic before starting antenatal, we restore them before labour.’’

According to her, this is so because the nutrients pregnant women need are now contained in a single daily tablet.

The use has therefore led to fewer women presenting with anemia

According to her, the centre gives out free bottles containing 180 tablets each to a pregnant woman who must have registered with the centre.

Following registration with the centre, such women are expected to take one daily.

Advising pregnant women to avail themselves of available antenatal care, she described it as very important to the dispensing and administration of MMS.

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This according to her, is because, it makes possible close monitoring of the patient and the effectiveness of the medicine.

Joshua, however, pointed to operational challenges such as inadequate human resources, saying more personnel would ensure women were attended to faster.

For Mrs Ekwueme, MMM can best be described as a game-changer, not only because it improves birth outcomes but also because they are available to women free.

“For now, it is readily available, but we are hopeful that FCT will key into the CNF, which will make it sustainable because that’s the only sustainable plan for it.

“Presently, we have the ones we received from donors, but if we exhaust it, we will not have any other one.’’