Gnosis by Lesaffre partners with Maternity Foundation to secure healthier pregnancies

Supporting women in low-resource settings, Gnosis by Lesaffre has partnered with the NGO Maternity Foundation to advance healthier pregnancies for women. In some of the world’s most fragile and remote communities, the partners will engage in technology-enabled nutrition education for mothers while advancing midwifery practices.

Over three years, Gnosis will fund the expansion of Maternity Foundation’s Safe Delivery App, a job aid, training, and microlearning tool that helps midwives deliver quality care to pregnant women, mothers, and newborns in low-resource settings, in line with WHO guidelines.

The free app, which also works offline, has already reached 500,000 healthcare professionals globally, together with its accompanying training program.

“Our partnership with Gnosis by Lesaffre exemplifies how cross-sector collaboration can drive meaningful progress in maternal and newborn health,” says Anna Frellsen, CEO of Maternity Foundation.

“By joining forces — through joint advocacy and by leveraging the Safe Delivery App and its accompanying training program — we can accelerate efforts to promote healthier pregnancies, ultimately contributing to safer births and better beginnings for babies.”

Mobile app for safer deliveries

One primary focus of the partnership is promoting the Safe Delivery App’s antenatal care module, which guides midwives on providing quality care throughout pregnancy.

The Safe Delivery App’s antenatal care module, which guides midwives on providing quality care throughout pregnancy.The app’s clinical content is based on Maternity Foundation’s “master trainers and awareness-raising activities.” The partnership aims to efficiently connect this platform to midwives at scale, globally, strengthening their capacity to support healthier pregnancies in low-resource settings.

Additionally, the Safe Delivery App’s antenatal care module is available in the Arabic, French, and English global master versions of the app, as well as in national versions for India and Ethiopia.

With more than 30 language editions currently in use, plans are underway to expand the module to more countries in the years ahead.

“At Gnosis by Lesaffre, our purpose is to elevate the well-being of humanity, and no endeavor is more sacred than nurturing mothers and, in turn, their children — the foundation for healthier generations to come,” says Marion Garel, Gnosis director of corporate social responsibility and cross-divisional coordinator.

“Proper nutrition is the cornerstone of this noble pursuit, and supplementation becomes essential when we fall short in obtaining vital vitamins and nutrients from diet alone.”

Earlier this month, Gnosis drew attention to commentary in The Lancet Global Health asserting that folate inadequacy is widespread throughout the globe. The nutrient deficiency, which is central in the new partnership, impacts more than four billion people — disproportionately affecting women and their offspring.

“While folic acid has long been the standard of care for vitamin B9, research shows that not everyone metabolizes it in the same way,” Garel adds. “This reinforces the importance of ensuring that women everywhere have access to folate forms that can support their individual needs, so that every pregnancy has the best possible start.”