This brief intends to share the evidence on the links between nutrition-specific interventions and child/maternal mortality, laying the foundation for the larger series of programmatic guidance briefs to follow. To this end, the Multi-Sectoral Strategy sets forth a comprehensive approach to integrate nutrition across USAID's work in maternal and child health, adolescent health, agriculture, livelihoods, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), HIV and AIDS, family planning, and humanitarian assistance, bringing together a variety of funding streams and approaches across the agency, with nutrition at the nexus. This vision includes reduced rates of childhood stunting and wasting and improved nutrition for women leading to millions of lives daved, increased resilience, and significant benefits to broad-based economic growth and development. USAID’s Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy (2014–2025) reflects a vision for 2025 of a world in which countries, communities, and families have the capacity to achieve and sustain healthy, well-nourished populations. Furthermore, micronutrient deficiencies – in particular vitamin A, zinc, iodine, and iron – are estimated to affect more than 2 billion people worldwide, with adverse effects that include premature death, poor health, blindness, stunting, reduced cognitive development, and low productive capacity (Bhutta, et al., 2013). Globally, approximately 13 percent of women were estimated to be undernourished, and 38 percent of all pregnant women suffered from anemia (Black, et al., 2008 Stevens, et al., 2013). In 2013, at least 161.5 million children experienced stunted growth and 50.8 million suffered from acute malnutrition (UNICEF, 2015). In 2011, 3.1 million children died as a result of undernutrition (Black, et al., 2008). The Lancet 2013 Series on Maternal and Child Nutrition highlighted the significant contribution of undernutrition to child mortality, stemming from fetal growth restriction, stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies, and suboptimal breastfeeding. 2 Nutrition interventions are among the lifesaving interventions that can have the greatest impact in preventing child and maternal deaths (USAID, 2014a). Figure 1 provides a breakdown of undernutrition's contribution to disease-specific deaths among children under 5. With undernutrition estimated to be an underlying cause of 45 percent of child mortality and anemia contributing to 20 percent of maternal mortality, investing in nutrition is fundamental to achieving USAID's maternal and child survival goals (Bhutta, et al., 2013 Black, et al., 2008). Building on the experience and evidence garnered in the past two decades of reductions in child and maternal deaths, USAID's efforts in this area aim to accelerate progress in order to save the lives of 15 million children and nearly 600,000 women by 2020 (USAID, 2014a). USAID's maternal and child survival efforts are focused within 25 countries 1 that together represent over 70 percent of maternal and child deaths worldwide, and USAID prioritizes interventions that have the largest impact on mortality. Agency for International Development (USAID) goals for preventing child and maternal deaths. Good nutrition is essential to reducing maternal and child mortality around the world and reaching the U.S. How Nutrition Impacts Maternal Mortality.
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