Global Health Medical Device Compendium/Prenatal Sprinkles

Hypertensive diseases associated with preeclampsia and preterm birth associated with anemia in pregnancy are both major causes of maternal and newborn death. This is especially the case in low-resource settings since in these areas there is minimal access to emergency obstetric and neonatal care.

This device provides a means of delivering microencapsulated calcium, iron, and folic acid to pregnant women in developing settings. These substances are used because anemia is prevented by the use of iron and preeclampsia is prevented by the use of calcium. In the past, it has not been possible to combine iron and calcium within one supplement because calcium has been shown to interfere with iron absorption. However, these "Prenatal Sprinkles" contain pH-sensitive time-release microencapsulated iron and calcium to overcome this problem, which allows both nutrients to be safely delivered together.

• Designed by: A team at The Hospital for Sick Children
• Manufacturer location: Toronto, Canada

Finalist of Saving Lives at Birth competition

Saving Lives at Birth: A grand challenge for development. (2011, July 25). Retrieved from here

Prenatal calcium to prevent preeclampsia and preterm birth in resource-poor rural settings. (2011). Retrieved from here