Much has been learned during the past several decades about the role of maternal nutrition in the outcome of pregnancy. While the bulk of the data is derived from animal models, human observations are gradually accumulating. There is need to improve maternal nutrition because of the high neonatal mortality rate especially in developing countries. The author used a conceptual framework which took both primary and secondary factors into account when interpreting study findings. Nutrition plays a vital role in reducing some of the health risks associated with pregnancy such as risk of fetal and infant mortality, intra-uterine growth retardation, low birth weight and premature births, decreased birth defects, cretinism, poor brain development and risk of infection. Adequate nutrition is essential for a woman throughout her life cycle to ensure proper development and prepare the reproductive life of the woman. Pregnant women require varied diets and increased nutrient intake to cope with the extra needs during pregnancy. Use of dietary supplements and fortified foods should be encouraged for pregnant women to ensure adequate supply of nutrients for both mother and foetus. The author concludes that nutrition education should be a core component of Mother and Child Health Clinics and every opportunity should be utilised to give nutrition education on appropriate diets for pregnant women.

This study is part of an ongoing investigation on the effect of fermentation on chemical and antinutrient compositions of baobab seeds and rice grains. Baobab seeds and rice grains were cleaned and fermented for 24, 48, and 72 h, respectively, by the microflora present in both the seed and the grains. The pH and titratable acidity of the unfermented and fermented samples were determined. The samples were dried and milled into fine flours respectively. Standard assay techniques were used to evaluate the f lours for proximate, mineral, and some antinutrient composition. Fermentation of baobab decreased protein and carbohydrate but increased fat levels. The rice carbohydrate and fat were decreased during fermentation except for the carbohydrate of the 48 and 72 h fermented samples. Protein was only increased in the 24 h fermented rice. Fermentation had varied effects on the mineral concentrations of the baobab seeds and the rice grains. It reduced their antinutrients (phytate and tannins), decreased pH, and increased the titratable acidity of the samples. The biochemical and biological evaluation of the blends of baobab and rice flours as complementary food is in progress in this laboratory.

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The protein quality of four blends based on sprouted sorghum, bambara groundnuts and fermented sweet potatoes had been evaluated by rat feeding experiments; casein served as a reference protein. The test proteins were incorporated to make up 1.6% total nitrogen. There was an inverse relationship between % nitrogen disgestibility and the proportion of sorghum protein in the blend; being highest (89.7%) in the diets based on sorghum:bambara groundnut:sweet potatoes with protein ratios of 52:46:2. This blend proved to be optimum when the biological value (93.6%) and the net protein utilization (84%) were used as protein indices. The findings imply that foods with good protein quality could be formulated from a blend of sorghum-bambara groundnut and sweet potatoes, provided appropriate processing and blending are taken into consideration.