Vitamin Angels data shows digital tools may lift prenatal supplement adherence
Key takeaways
- Vitamin Angels presented data indicating that digital tools and nutrition interventions can support maternal well-being.
- A pilot program in Indonesia showed that using WhatsApp groups via existing health structures is a feasible and scalable way to support MMS uptake and adherence.
- Research in Kenya highlighted the critical need to address low completion rates for supplementation alongside providing initial access to build successful county-wide programs.
Vitamin Angels has released new data pointing to the potential of digital technologies used in tandem with global nutrition interventions to support maternal and child well-being. Supported by national health systems, the nonprofit’s programs span Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
The scope of the data covers the organization’s work since 2018 to scale up UNIMMAP, a standardized prenatal multivitamin and mineral supplement formulation developed in 1999 by the WHO, UNICEF, and the United Nations University (UNU).
It also reports on Vitamin Angels’ efforts in multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) and more than three decades of expanding access to vitamin A supplementation and deworming. These findings were presented at the recent 2026 Micronutrient Forum Global Conference in Accra, Ghana.
“Since 2018, Vitamin Angels has been working alongside governments and local partners to advance the introduction and scale-up of UNIMMAP-MMS as part of antenatal care,” says Dr. Ana Céspedes, president and CEO of Vitamin Angels.
“Our experience has reinforced an important lesson: delivering a proven nutrition intervention is necessary, but it is not sufficient. Sustainable impact requires strong health systems, trained health workers, reliable product supply, effective behavior change strategies, and, above all, country leadership.”
“By combining implementation science with our global operational experience, we help countries adapt what works, accelerate learning, and build the capacity for sustainable scale-up.”
Digital-led intervention strategies
At the forum in Accra, Vitamin Angels discussed its latest findings on how digital tools could support MMS uptake and adherence as the program scales.
At the forum in Accra, Vitamin Angels discussed its latest findings on how digital tools could support MMS uptake and adherence as the program scales.
In Indonesia, a pilot using WhatsApp groups through existing health-system structures demonstrated the feasibility of the approach and its potential to scale. It also underscored the importance of health worker training, consistent facilitation, and engagement among pregnant women.“Our objective is to support governments in building the capabilities required for sustainable nutrition programs,” says Otte Santika, Vitamin Angels’ country advisor in Indonesia.
“Digital innovation offers opportunities to strengthen existing health services, improve communication between health workers and pregnant women, and support MMS uptake and adherence. The key is developing practical solutions that governments can integrate into their own systems.”
Promoting adherence alongside access
Meanwhile, in Makueni County, Kenya, formative research conducted with the county government demonstrated the importance of addressing supplementation adherence alongside providing access.
The data shows that while approximately 93% of pregnant women surveyed in the county received iron and folic acid supplementation, only 17% completed the recommended 180-day course.
Additionally, approximately 95% of pregnant women and 96% of health providers expressed support for MMS.
Vitamin Angels says that the findings of this project helped inform the introduction of Kenya’s first county-wide MMS program, in a demonstration of how implementation research can translate into government-led action.
“We already have strong scientific evidence supporting MMS. What we need now is to understand how to deliver it consistently and effectively through real-world health systems,” says Dr. Lucy Kanya, Vitamin Angels’ Africa regional technical director and project lead of the global public health consortium Transforming Lives Through Nutrition.
“Working alongside governments, health workers, and communities allows us to identify what works in different contexts and translate those lessons into sustainable programs that can reach more women and children.”
Nutrition Insight previously connected with Dr. Colleen Delaney, registered dietitian nutritionist and technical advisor of US programs at Vitamin Angels, to examine causes of “hidden hunger” among infants and pregnant women and explore strategies to reverse this trend.
