Hormonal changes associated with menstruation, childbearing, and menopause mean that women have a higher risk of anemia, osteoporosis, and various nutritional deficiencies. Women also tend to lose more lean muscle mass over time due to age and childbearing. The major reason for stagnant levels of under nutrition among Indian children is because of the failure so far to adequately prevent under nutrition when it happens most - in the womb, which is caused by poor nutrition of women before and during pregnancy.