Project
Martin Mwangi - Effects of supplementation with iron on the health of African women
Martin Mwangi holds an MSc degree in Nutrition and Health from Wageningen University. He is currently a staff member of Maseno University, and is registered as a 'sandwich' student for a PhD degree at the Cell Biology and Immunology Group at Wageningen University (supervisor: Professor Huub F.J. Savelkoul; co-supervisor: Dr Hans Verhoef).
His PhD degree will be based on a randomised controlled trial in western Kenya to assess the effect of antenatal iron supplementation on Plasmodium infection in women at parturition. Most developing countries have national policies for antenatal iron supplementation; yet, there are many concerns about its safety in malaria-endemic areas. To prevent severe anaemia, all women in this study will receive iron fortificants in flour. This trial is also used as an opportunity to assess the feasibility of flour fortification in small-scale mills that serve rural communities.