Maternal and Fetal effects of nutritional deficiency in pregnant women have been identified as the major causes of unsafe pregnancy and maternal mortality in Nigeria. According to Mr. Bayo Adepoju, Lead Consultant, Sales to Medheights Pharmacy Limited, these problems could be effectively checked with the necessary food supplements, which have been made available by the firm.

Speaking during a media presentation to announce the product distribution partnership agreement between Medheights Pharmacy and one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, Vitabiotics UK, Adepoju identified various factors and avoidable errors that make pregnant women in Nigeria and most other developing countries susceptible to maternal death, infertility, abnormalities in new born etc.

At the occasion, which was used to present to the Nigerian public the three brands of Pregnacare products, emphasis on medicinal values of micronutrient supplementation before conception, during pregnancy and throughout breast-feeding period was also highlighted.

The sole franchise ownership for marketing and distribution of the products in the country has been granted to Medheights Pharmacy Limited.

The brands being directly imported into Nigeria are: Pregnacre Original (used during pregnancy; Pregnacare Plus Omega (used during breastfeeding); and Pregnacare Conception (used to prepare hormones of women for conception).

Explaining the reasons for introducing the UK-made brands in Nigeria, Managing Director of Medheights Pharmacy, Mr. Tunji Doherty said, “hitherto, what we used to have in Nigeria were the Pregnacare brands made and packaged outside the UK; Nigerians who traveled to Europe now discovered that the package being sold to Nigerians were different from what was being sold in the home country where the trademark owners are. So this knowledge started affecting negatively the psyche of the consumers and sales. The products were also being imported by all kinds of merchants into the market.

“We met with the makers and raised all these concerns and the dangers therein especially as it concerned faking and safe motherhood in Nigeria and entered into business relationship to be the sole franchise owners of all the premium Pregnacare brands in Nigeria. This has enabled us to structure the marketing and distribution channels. We have also secured NAFDAC numbers for the brands in order to avoid faking or cloning and therefore, guarantees the product consumption for safe motherhood,” Doherty stated.

In his presentation, Adepoju emphasised that conception period is a crucial phase in a woman’s life when the body undergoes a series of changes to create a suitable environment for the sustenance and growth of the fetus. “Fetal health & growth depends largely upon what the mother eats and how much is available to the fetus. This is what Vitabiotics UK is much concerned with as it wants to join the safe motherhood campaign of UNICEF in Nigeria,” he said.

He said the trademark owners of Pregnancare have carefully produced the three brands as better supplementary options for expectant mothers, breastfeeding mothers and women desiring fruit of the womb.  Knowing fully well that poverty and other factors such as ignorance, religious extremism etc hinder people in developing countries, access to good and healthy living, balanced nutritional diets, Pregnacare has been prepared to reduce fetal and maternal effects of nutritional deficiencies.

Fetal effect of nutritional deficiencies can lead to the following medical issues for pregnant women: Congenital malformations, I.U.G.R, poor systemic development, prematurity/low birth weight, poor neurological status, increased risk of neonatal hemorrhage and diarrhea.

On the other hand, he said maternal effects of nutritional deficiency would lead to: anemia, threatened/spontaneous abortion, reduced gestation time, atonic bleeding.  vasospasm & muscle cramping, increased oxidative stress, hyperhomocysteinemia, PIH, Pre-eclampsia & Eclampsia. These are avoidable issues when a woman is knowledgeable about the strength of dietary nutrition before, during and after conception.

According to UNICEF, “Diets of women often lack nutrients which endanger womanhood. Many deficiency effects are irreversible”.

Adebayo stated that critical nutrients that optimise pregnancy outcome include the following: zinc, magnesium, iodine, copper, iron, calcium, folic acid, Vit. B12, K & B6, anti-oxidants and selenium which are all contained in  Pregnacare and  in balanced proportion  while they can also be sourced from balanced diets and other UNICEF approved dietary supplements.

He advised users of Pregnacare brands to look out for the security features on the pack of the Pregnacare brands. These include registered NAFDAC numbers and a dedicated line where the secret numbers to be scratched on the pack can be sent to for immediate response. “The same brands you will see in the UK are the same you will find in the Nigerian market, and they are available at all registered pharmaceutical shops across the nation,” said Doherty.