Life Cycle Interventions for Maternal and Child Nutrition Promotion in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review

Improved nutrition is associated with a longer life expectancy, improved immunity, safer pregnancies and deliveries, a reduced incidence of non-communicable diseases, a better health for mothers and babies. From infancy until maturity, a child’s general growth and overall quality of life are greatly influenced by the mother’s diet. Yet, crucial conflicts face poor women in low-income countries as they try to fulfil their economic, biological, and social roles at each stage in the life cycle, particularly during the child-bearing years. One of the most important strategies for reducing disease burden is nutrition management. This review discusses how mother-child mortality remains high especially in sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights health consequences of maternal micro-nutrients deficiencies, which hinder the attainment of health and nutrition-related sustainable development goals. Finally, this article describes the role lifestyle interventions can play to alleviate mother-child nutrition disorders with an example of a pharmacist as one of the potentially effective stakeholders in promoting and maintaining mother-child health, promoted in health pharmaco-economics, especially in sub-Saharan African countries. It is evident that some health issues are related to the environment, necessitating joint efforts between local, national and international partners in both sectors, illustrating the concept of multisectoral approach to mother-child health throughout the human life cycle.