SANAME (SAlud Y Nutrición a Mujeres Embarazadas) (Health and Nutrition for Pregnant Women)

In Lima, Peru a high proportion of pregnant women suffer from poor nutrition and its consequences, including anemia, gestational diabetes, and neural tube defects in their infants. The Ministry of Health (MoH) has made reducing maternal anemia a national priority.We propose Project Sáname a community-based prenatal care initiative that integrates nutrition education, social support, income generation, and collaboration with the MoH to improve outcomes related to nutrition during pregnancy. We will recruit 6 community health workers (CHWs) and 125 first-trimester pregnant women who will attend group sessions that take place within walking distance of their homes. CHWs will teach health/nutrition topics and encourage women to share their experiences and concerns. A MoH midwife will attend 2 sessions to give prenatal exams. Women will receive reminders to take MoH-provided iron and folic acid supplements through a free interactive (SMS) messaging system. And we will train the women to knit baby clothes and provide a platform for them to sell their products; they can use this income to pay healthcare expenses. This intervention innovates by working with the community and the MoH system to shift the nexus of prenatal care out of the health centers. By the end of the grant, we hope to reduce anemia and improve prenatal care. The project will demonstrate that empowering women with the knowledge and means to make healthy decisions during pregnancy can lead to better health outcomes.