Baffins moms-to-be don’t get enough food
Most pregnant women in the Baffin region of Nunavut are malnourished and smoke too much, says a Government of Nunavut research study presented at the recent International Congress of Circumpolar Health in Yellowknife.
Interviews and analyses of their blood samples reveal:
- More than six in 10 smoke and, of these, more than half are heavy smokers, puffing nine to 36 cigarettes daily;
- More than six in 10 smoke marijuana and, of these, one in five smokes pot daily;
- Many have high levels of the heavy metal cadmium in their blood, which comes from smoking and can lead to kidney and lung problems;
- Many continue to drink alcohol during pregnancy;
- Eight in 10 lack vitamin D, a deficiency that can stunt growth and is also linked to cancer, heart disease, and auto-immune conditions like diabetes and influenza;
- Nearly half don’t eat enough, some skipping meals and eating only once a day; and
- Most say they would eat more country food if it were available.
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