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Prenatal food supplementation fortified with multiple micronutrients increases birth length: a randomized controlled trial in rural Burkina Faso1

https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.28253Get rights and content
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Abstract

Background

Prenatal multiple micronutrient (MMN) or balanced energy and protein supplementation has a limited effect on birth size of the offspring.

Objective

The objective was to determine whether a prenatal MMN-fortified food supplement (FFS) improves anthropometric measures at birth compared with supplementation with an MMN pill alone.

Design

We conducted a nonblinded, individually randomized controlled trial in 1296 pregnant women in 2 villages in rural Burkina Faso. Supplements were provided on a daily basis, and compliance was closely verified by using a community-based network of home visitors.

Results

Anthropometric measures at birth were available for analysis for 87% of the 1175 live singleton deliveries enrolled. After adjustment for gestational age at birth, the FFS group had a significantly higher birth length (+4.6 mm; P = 0.001). FFS supplementation resulted in a modestly higher birth weight (+31 g; P = 0.197). Subgroup analyses showed clinically important treatment effects on birth length (+12.0 mm; P = 0.005) and on birth weight (+111 g; P = 0.133) for underweight [body mass index (in kg/m2) <18.5] pregnant women. Women with early pregnancy anemia who received FFS gave birth to longer newborns (+7.3 mm; P = 0.002) than did those who received MMN supplementation.

Conclusions

The provision of FFS to pregnant women resulted in higher birth length than did MMN supplementation. For women with a suboptimal prepregnancy nutritional status, MMN supplementation should be complemented with a balanced energy and protein supplement to produce a clinical effect on birth size. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00909974.

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1

From the Department of Food Safety and Food Quality, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium (LH, HL, JVC, and PK); the Child Health and Nutrition Unit, Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium (DR, JM, and PK); the Centre Muraz, Ministry of Health, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso (NM); and IRSS, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (HL).