Pregnant women at Yendi Municipality have been advised to stick to nutritious diets to increase iron levels in their bodies to help prevent anaemia.

Mr Mark Atoobey, Yendi Municipal Nutrition Officer, who gave the advice, emphasised that pregnant women in the area should ensure that their meals contained grains, roots and tubers, fruits and vegetables, legumes and seeds, animal-source foods, oil and fats to gain the right nutrients for their well-being and the well-being of their unborn babies.

He gave the advice in an interview with the GNA at Yendi on the cases of anaemia in pregnancy in the Yendi Municipality and what could be done to reduce the trend.

Mr Attoobey noted that some taboos prevented pregnant women in some communities in the Yendi Municipality from eating eggs and some animal-sourced meals.

Some families he explained, farmers in the area, preferred to sell their produce and animals and rather depend on carbohydrates.

These acts deny pregnant women of highly needed nutrition, which affects their health and the health of their unborn babies.

The situation is partly blamed for the high cases of anaemia in pregnancy in the area.

Statistics from the Yendi Municipal Nutrition Office showed that anaemia in pregnancy stood at 43.2 per cent in 2018, 52.2% in 2019 and 27% in 2020 but no deaths were recorded during the period.

Mr Atoobey said anaemia in pregnancy had serious consequences on the health and well-being of pregnant women and their babies, hence, the need for them to consume nutritious meals to minimise the trend in the municipality.

He further advised families, who engaged in subsistence agriculture, not to sell all their crops and animals, however, they should consume them as well in the right amounts to gain the recommended nutrients for the well-being of their pregnant women and their babies.

He also urged pregnant women to go for regular antenatal care and undertake simple exercises as long as they felt comfortable to remain healthy.

He cautioned them not to engage in smoking, taking unprescribed drugs, taking alcohol, engaging in strenuous work and lifting of heavy loads.