Though the book was released seven decades ago, its theory of women as “others” is practiced even today in many parts of the world.

Women have frequently been excluded from decision-making, including from discussions about their own health. In resource-poor settings, girls often suffer from poor nutrition during childhood and adolescence, which is further exacerbated during pregnancy.

Women are often responsible for preparing the meals, yet they eat last and least, with no special consideration for their nutrition if they become pregnant. A malnourished mother is more likely to give birth to low birthweight and malnourished babies.

Prenatal nutrition and poor nutrition in infancy and early childhood are linked to stunting and the development of noncommunicable diseases in adulthood, including obesity, hypertension, heart disease and diabetes.

In Indonesia, nearly half of pregnant women are anemic, according to the 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas). Anemia among pregnant women adversely affects the development of the fetus and increases the risk of mortality and morbidity for the mother and newborn. This has contributed to 27.67 percent of children suffering from stunted growth in the country (Riskedas 2018).

The government has been working to reduce stunting rates, including the launch of its national strategic Integrated Nutrition Interventions for Stunting Reduction and Prevention program in August 2017. Despite this, most communities have limited awareness about nutrition and its role in pregnancy and birth outcomes. For reduction efforts to be successful, a multistakeholder approach that addresses gender norms and involves families and communities is necessary.

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