Fatness To Anemia In Pregnant Women Can Cause Premature Born Babies

Illustration of premature babies. (Freepic)

Pregnancy birth is one of the great challenges in the health of mothers and children in Indonesia. Some of the factors that often cause chronic medical conditions in mothers such as hypertension, diabetes, infection, anemia, malnutrition, and unhealthy living habits.

In addition, the nutritional status of incommensurate mothers, either too thin or obese, also increases the risk of babies being born before their time.

Responding to this, the Chairperson of the Indonesian Association of Obstetrics and Social Gynecology (HOGSI) - POGI, Prof. Dr. dr. Dwiana Ocviyanti, SpOG(K), MPH, expressed her concern about the condition of pregnant women in Indonesia which is considered not ideal. She said that about 30 percent of babies in Indonesia were born premature, and this was due to a less optimal maternal health condition.

"Data shows that nearly 50 percent of pregnant women in Indonesia are facing health problems, either because they are overweight, lack of weight, suffer from tuberculosis, or have anemia," said Prof. Dwiana in a health discussion as quoted by ANTARA.

He emphasized that anemia is one of the most common problems, where about 30'40 percent of pregnant women in Indonesia experience this condition. Anemia can weaken the mother's immune system, making pregnancy more prone to complications.

Not only anemia, the nutritional condition of pregnant women is also a concern. About 17'18 percent of mothers experience chronic energy deficiency (short), while the other 20 percent are obese. Both conditions can have a negative impact on pregnancy.

Lack of energy can cause the fetus to not get enough nutrition, while obesity increases the risk of complications such as preeclampsia, which can trigger premature birth, he explained.

Furthermore, Prof. Dwiana explained that babies born with low weight due to prematureity or malnutrition in the womb have a higher risk of stunting in the future.

Baby who are born small or less months not only face the initial challenges of life, but also have a high risk of long-term growth disorders such as stunting," he added.

As a lecturer at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI) and RSCM, Prof. Dwiana emphasized the importance of maintaining maternal health during pregnancy, both in terms of nutrition and routine medical monitoring.

A healthy mother is the main foundation for a healthy generation. If the mother's condition is not excellent, it is difficult to hope that the delivery and lactating process can run optimally," he said.

He also encouraged the public and policy makers to continue to improve access to health services for pregnant women and educate the importance of a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy.

'ASI is the best nutrition for babies, and healthy mothers will be better able to provide optimal breast milk. Therefore, maintaining mother's health is not only a personal task, but a shared responsibility," he concluded.