By Francesca Hangeior
As the prices of food continue to rise unabated with no end in sight, some pregnant women in Nigeria have cried
out to both the federal and state governments to address the problem, claiming that they now go to bed on empty stomachs.
The expectant mothers also lamented that they are unable to meet the daily dietary requirements expected of persons in their state due to high costs.
For many families in the country, the upsurge in the prices of food since the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 has been a cause of worry, especially for pregnant women, children and other vulnerable groups.
Meat, fish, and other more nutritious food sources have been replaced on several family dinner tables by cheaper food items, even though they do not necessarily provide the same nutritional benefits.
This is a cause for concern, as nutrition and child health experts say the rising food prices are bound to have short and long-term effects on expectant mothers and their unborn babies.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s annual inflation rate rose to 31.70 per cent in February from 29.90 per cent in January.
The NBS said the rise in food inflation yearly is caused by increased prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, fish, oil and fat, meat, fruit, coffee, tea, and cocoa.
Some of the pregnant women, claim that they are passing through tough times, even as hunger bites harder.
A 28 -year-old mother of one, who is pregnant with her second child, Mrs. Blessing Bode told our correspondent that if she knew that things would be so difficult for her and her family during this period, she would not have become pregnant.
The Lagos housewife, who is six months pregnant, said the hardship in the country has denied her access to a balanced diet as her husband’s shoe-making business is near closure.
“We now feed from hand to mouth. Breakfast and dinner are unaffordable, and even the food we manage to eat is mainly rice concoction. The situation is making me restless”, Bode said with a voice laced with anger.
She further lamented that the situation has made to start overthinking, restless and frustrated,
Bode said in exasperation, “My challenge is that other people can endure hunger but a pregnant woman can’t!
“The suffering is too much. I pray that hunger will not finish me with this pregnancy.”
Another woman, Mrs Adejoke Taiwo, 32, who is four months pregnant, said the economic hardship had inflicted poverty on her family.
The local tailor and mother-of-three said she and her husband were not prepared for the hardship, complaining that she cannot afford to buy fruits and vegetables or other nutritious diet at the moment.
Also, a petty trader, Mrs Ngozi Nnaemeka, said, “I only manage to eat once a day now, and I’m tired of the carbohydrates that I’m eating. Today garri, tomorrow rice.”
“My pregnancy will be six months next week, yet we can’t make plans for antenatal registration and care because there is no money. The situation is biting harder,” another pregnant Lagos resident simply identified as Felicia lamented.