Prenatal Food Supplementation Research Articles

Nutrient Supplementation during the Prenatal Period in Substance-Using Mothers: A Narrative Review of the Effects on Offspring Development.

Substance use during pregnancy increases the risk for poor developmental outcomes of the offspring, and for substance-dependent mothers, abstaining from substance use during pregnancy is often difficult. Given the addictive nature of many substances, strategies that may mitigate the harmful effects of prenatal substance exposure are important. Prenatal nutrient supplementation is an emerging intervention that may improve developmental outcomes among substance-exposed offspring. We provide a narrative review of the literature on micronutrient and fatty acid supplementation during pregnancies exposed to substance use in relation to offspring developmental outcomes. We first discuss animal models exposed to ethanol during pregnancy with supplementation of choline, zinc, vitamin E, iron, and fatty acids. We follow with human studies of both alcohol- and nicotine-exposed pregnancies with supplementation of choline and vitamin C, respectively. We identified only 26 animal studies on ethanol and 6 human studies on alcohol and nicotine that supplemented nutrients during pregnancy and reported offspring developmental outcomes. There were no studies that examined nutrient supplementation during pregnancies exposed to cannabis, illicit substances, or polysubstance use. Implementations and future directions are discussed.

Effects of prenatal nutrient supplementation and early life exposures on neurodevelopment at age 10: a randomised controlled trial - the COPSYCH study protocol

IntroductionNutrient deficiency and immune and inflammatory disturbances in early life may compromise neurodevelopment and be implicated in the aetiology of psychiatric disorders. However, current evidence is limited by its predominantly...

Immunogenicity of an oral rotavirus vaccine administered with prenatal nutritional support in Niger: A cluster randomized clinical trial.

BackgroundNutritional status may play a role in infant immune development. To identify potential boosters of immunogenicity in low-income countries where oral vaccine efficacy is low, we tested the effect of prenatal nutritional supplementation on immune response to 3 doses of a live oral rotavirus vaccine.Methods and findingsWe nested a cluster randomized trial within a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized efficacy trial to assess the effect of 3 prenatal nutritional supplements (lipid-based nutrient supplement [LNS], multiple micronutrient supplement [MMS], or iron–folic acid [IFA]) on infant immune response (n = 53 villages and 1,525 infants with valid serology results: 794 in the vaccine group and 731 in the placebo group). From September 2015 to February 2017, participating women received prenatal nutrient supplement during pregnancy. Eligible infants were then randomized to receive 3 doses of an oral rotavirus vaccine or placebo at 6–8 weeks of age (mean age: 6.3 weeks, 50% female). Infant sera (pre-Dose 1 and 28 days post-Dose 3) were analyzed for anti-rotavirus immunoglobulin A (IgA) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The primary immunogenicity end point, seroconversion defined as ≥3-fold increase in IgA, was compared in vaccinated infants among the 3 supplement groups and between vaccine/placebo groups using mixed model analysis of variance procedures. Seroconversion did not differ by supplementation group (41.1% (94/229) with LNS vs. 39.1% (102/261) with multiple micronutrients (MMN) vs. 38.8% (118/304) with IFA, p = 0.91). Overall, 39.6% (n = 314/794) of infants who received vaccine seroconverted, compared to 29.0% (n = 212/731) of infants who received placebo (relative risk [RR]: 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18, 1.57, p < 0.001). This study was conducted in a high rotavirus transmission setting. Study limitations include the absence of an immune correlate of protection for rotavirus vaccines, with the implications of using serum anti-rotavirus IgA for the assessment of immunogenicity and efficacy in low-income countries unclear.ConclusionsThis study showed no effect of the type of prenatal nutrient supplementation on immune response in this setting. Immune response varied depending on previous exposure to rotavirus, suggesting that alternative delivery modalities and schedules may be considered to improve vaccine performance in high transmission settings.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02145000.

Effect of maternal prenatal food supplementation, gestational weight gain, and breast-feeding on infant growth during the first 24 months of life in rural Vietnam.

Growth faltering among children during the first five years of life is a common problem among low and middle-income countries. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a nutrient-rich, food-based supplement given to Vietnamese rural women prior to and/or during pregnancy on the growth of their infants during first 24 months of life and to identify maternal and newborn factors associated with the infant’s growth. This prospective cohort study included 236 infants born to mothers who had received nutritional advice or a food supplement from pre-conception to term or from mid-gestation to term as part of a prior randomized controlled trial. Infant anthropometry and feeding information were monitored monthly and the infant weight for age Z-score (WAZ), length for age Z-score (LAZ), and weight for length Z-score (WLZ) were assessed at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of age using mixed-effects regression modeling. Compared to the non-supplemented mothers, infants born to mothers receiving food supplementation from mid-gestation to term had significantly higher WLZ only at 18 months (p = 0.03) and did not differ in other outcomes. Supplementation from pre-conception to term did not affect infant growth at any time point during the first 24 months. In the entire study cohort, maternal height and gestational weight gain were positively associated with the infant’s WAZ and LAZ from 6 to 24 months of age. Programs designed to improve gestational weight gain among women performing demanding physical work throughout a reproductive cycle may improve postnatal infant growth.Trial registration: Registered Clinical Trials.Gov: NCT01235767.

Prospects for improving future mental health of children through prenatal maternal micronutrient supplementation in China.

ABSTRACTPrenatal micronutrients in pregnant women’s diets, including supplements, have an essential role in fetal brain development and may reduce the risk of mental disorders in offspring. Folic acid, vitamin D, omega‐3 fatty acids, and choline have been investigated for this purpose. Folic acid supplementation throughout pregnancy has well‐established positive effects. Vitamin D, administered to the mother before birth or to the newborn, has also been shown to reduce the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Omega‐3 fatty acids during pregnancy have a more uncertain role, with recent trials questioning a beneficial effect on cognition and attention deficit disorder, despite positive effects on prematurity and neonatal wheezing prevention. Choline supplementation is associated with positive effects on cognition and behavior, including early behaviors associated with the development of autism and schizophrenia. There is no experience yet with COVID‐19, but adverse effects on fetal brain development of most common coronaviruses are mitigated by higher choline levels. Maternal dietary supplementation of nutrients is a benign and inexpensive intervention in pregnancy to prevent life‐long disability from mental illness. Use of dietary supplements in poorer, rural areas of China is below recommendations. Physicians, midwives, and public health officials in China can promote prenatal nutrient supplementation to reduce the future burden of mental illnesses that might be prevented before birth.

The impact of early life exposure to Plasmodium falciparum on the development of naturally acquired immunity to malaria in young Malawian children

BackgroundAntibodies targeting malaria blood-stage antigens are important targets of naturally acquired immunity, and may act as valuable biomarkers of malaria exposure.MethodsSix-hundred and one young Malawian children from a randomized trial of prenatal nutrient supplementation with iron and folic acid or pre- and postnatal multiple micronutrients or lipid-based nutrient supplements were followed up weekly at home and febrile episodes were investigated for malaria from birth to 18 months of age. Antibodies were measured for 601 children against merozoite surface proteins (MSP1 19kD, MSP2), erythrocyte binding antigen 175 (EBA175), reticulocyte binding protein homologue 2 (Rh2A9), schizont extract and variant surface antigens expressed by Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes (IE) at 18 months of age. The antibody measurement data was related to concurrent malaria infection and to documented episodes of clinical malaria.ResultsAt 18 months of age, antibodies were significantly higher among parasitaemic than aparasitaemic children. Antibody levels against MSP1 19kD, MSP2, schizont extract, and IE variant surface antigens were significantly higher in children who had documented episodes of malaria than in children who did not. Antibody levels did not differ between children with single or multiple malaria episodes before 18 months, nor between children who had malaria before 6 months of age or between 6 and 18 months.ConclusionsAntibodies to merozoite and IE surface antigens increased following infection in early childhood, but neither age at first infection nor number of malaria episodes substantially affected antibody acquisition. These findings have implications for malaria surveillance during early childhood in the context of elimination.Trials registration Clinical Trials Registration: NCT01239693 (Date of registration: 11-10-2010). URL: http://www.ilins.org

Cost-effectiveness of prenatal food and micronutrient interventions on under-five mortality and stunting: Analysis of data from the MINIMat randomized trial, Bangladesh.

IntroductionNutrition interventions may have favourable as well as unfavourable effects. The Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab (MINIMat), with early prenatal food and micronutrient supplementation, reduced infant mortality and were reported to be very cost-effective. However, the multiple micronutrients (MMS) supplement was associated with an increased risk of stunted growth in infancy and early childhood. This unfavourable outcome was not included in the previous cost-effectiveness analysis. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the MINIMat interventions remain cost-effective in view of both favourable (decreased under-five-years mortality) and unfavourable (increased stunting) outcomes.MethodPregnant women in rural Bangladesh, where food insecurity still is prevalent, were randomized to early (E) or usual (U) invitation to be given food supplementation and daily doses of 30 mg, or 60 mg iron with 400 μg of folic acid, or MMS with 15 micronutrients including 30 mg iron and 400 μg of folic acid. E reduced stunting at 4.5 years compared with U, MMS increased stunting at 4.5 years compared with Fe60, while the combination EMMS reduced infant mortality compared with UFe60. The outcome measure used was disability adjusted life years (DALYs), a measure of overall disease burden that combines years of life lost due to premature mortality (under five-year mortality) and years lived with disability (stunting). Incremental cost effectiveness ratios were calculated using cost data from already published studies.ResultsBy incrementing UFe60 (standard practice) to EMMS, one DALY could be averted at a cost of US$24.ConclusionWhen both favourable and unfavourable outcomes were included in the analysis, early prenatal food and multiple micronutrient interventions remained highly cost effective and seem to be meaningful from a public health perspective.

The different effects of prenatal nutrient supplementation on neonatal birth weights between urban and rural areas of northwest China: a crosssectional study.

The results of prenatal nutrient supplementation on birth weight are inconsistent in different areas. This study aimed to investigate whether the effects of prenatal iron plus folic acid and folic acid supplementation on neonatal birth weights differed between urban and rural areas of Northwest China. A stratified multistage random sampling method was used to recruit women between the ages of 15 and 49 and their offspring born between 2010 and 2013 from 10 urban areas and 20 rural areas of the Shaanxi Province of Northwest China. Information regarding socio-demographics and prenatal nutrient supplementation status was collected using a standardized questionnaire, and the neonatal birth weights were obtained from the birth certificates. Multilevel models were established separately for the urban and rural areas to assess the effects of prenatal nutrient supplementation on neonatal birth weights. The association between prenatal nutrient supplementation and neonatal birth weight was not statistically significant in urban areas. However, in rural areas, prenatal iron plus folic acid and folic acid supplementation increased the mean birth weights by 45.3 g (9.4 to 81.1 g, p=0.014) and 30.9 g (15.6 to 46.1 g, p<0.001), respectively. The effects of prenatal nutrient supplementation on neonatal birth weights differ between urban and rural areas of Northwest China. The different effects may be due to the different nutritional status of the urban and rural pregnant women. Prenatal nutrient supplementation may be a helpful way for improving neonatal birth weight in rural areas.

Prenatal early food and multiple micronutrient supplementation trial reduced infant mortality in Bangladesh, but did not influence morbidity.

A previous maternal and infant nutrition intervention in rural Matlab, Bangladesh, showed that prenatal nutrient supplements improved child survival, but had no effect on size at birth. This secondary analysis examined whether prenatal multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), on their own or combined with an early invitation to receive prenatal food supplements, affected child morbidity. This randomised trial enrolled 4436 pregnant women from November 2001 to October 2003 and allocated them to early or standard invitations to food supplements, in the ninth and 20th weeks of pregnancy, respectively, and supplements of either the standard 60 mg iron with 400 μg folic acid, 30 mg iron with 400 μg folic acid or MMS. Quasi-Poisson regression was used to analyse morbidity. There were 3560 single live births and 3516 had morbidity data. The incidence rates of fever, diarrhoea and acute lower respiratory tract infection were 15.3, 3.6 and 2.3 episodes per person-year, respectively. The separate or combined interventions had no effect on morbidity up to 24 months. Early invitations to prenatal food supplements or prenatal MMS had no effect on common infections in rural Bangladesh, suggesting that earlier findings on improved child survival were not mediated by an effect on child morbidity.

Prenatal food and micronutrient interventions in rural Bangladesh remain cost‐effective when assessing both favorable and unfavorable outcomes: Cost‐effectiveness analysis of the MINIMat trial on under five‐mortality and stunting.

BackgroundFew studies analyze the cost‐effectiveness of nutrition interventions in low‐income countries, possibly deterring large‐scale implementation. Nutrition interventions may have favorable as well as unfavorable effects. The Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab (MINIMat) with early prenatal food and micronutrient supplementation reduced infant mortality and were reported to be very cost‐effective. However, the multiple micronutrients (MMS) resulted in an increased risk of stunted growth in infancy and early childhood. This unfavorable outcome was not included in the previous cost‐effectiveness analysis. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the MINIMat interventions remain cost‐effective in view of both favorable (decreased under‐five year mortality) and unfavorable (increased stunting) outcomes.MethodPregnant women in rural Bangladesh, where food insecurity still is prevalent, were randomized to early (E) or usual (U) invitation to food supplementation and daily doses of 30 mg, or 60 mg iron with 400 μgm of folic acid, or MMS with 15 micronutrients including 30 mg iron and 400 μgm of folic acid. E reduced stunting at 4.5 years compared with U, MMS compared with Fe60 increased stunting at 4.5 years while the combination EMMS reduced infant mortality compared with UFe60. The outcome measure used was disability adjusted life years (DALY), a measure of overall disease burden that combines years of life lost due to premature mortality (under five‐year mortality) and years lived with disability (stunting). Incremental cost effectiveness ratios were calculated using cost data from already published studies.ResultsBy incrementing UFe60F to EMMS, one DALY could be averted at a cost of US$26.ConclusionWhen both favorable and unfavorable outcomes were included in the analysis early prenatal food and multiple micronutrient interventions remained highly cost effective and seem to be meaningful from a public health perspective.

Effects of early prenatal food supplementation and multiple micronutrients on under‐five survival, linear growth, metabolic markers and blood pressure up to 10 years of age. The MINIMat trial in rural Bangladesh

Nutritional deficiencies in early life may have severe short‐ and long‐term consequences. Enhanced prenatal nutrition including macro‐ and micronutrient alternatives may prevent some of these unfavorable outcomes.In the MINIMat prenatal nutrition trial in Bangladesh (ISRCTN16581394) 4436 pregnant women were randomized into 6 equally sized groups; a double‐masked supplementation with either 30 mg Fe and 400 μg folic acid, or 60 mg Fe and 400 μg folic acid, or a multiple micronutrient supplement (MMS) containing a daily allowance of 15 micronutrients including 30 mg Fe and folic acid starting at around 14 weeks, was combined with a randomized early invitation (from around 9 weeks) or a usual invitation to start (from around 20 weeks) food supplementation (608 Kcal 6 days per week).These women had a median height of 150 cm, and 28% had a body mass index below 18.5. Among the 3625 live births the early timing of prenatal food supplementation combined with multiple micronutrients (vs. usual timing and 60 mg Fe‐folic acid) significantly reduced the under‐five mortality (HR 0.34; 95% CI 0.18–0.65). The early invitation to prenatal food supplementation resulted in less stunting 0–5 years (4.5 percent units), while prenatal multiple micronutrients was linked to more stunting (4.8 percent units) as well as to lower IGF‐1 levels. The early timing of prenatal food supplementation resulted in significantly lower cholesterol, LDL and ApoB levels at 4.5 years of age. Supplementation with MMS was associated with lower HDL and lower glucose levels. The higher dose of prenatal iron supplementation (60 mg) as compared to 30 mg iron or MMS was associated with significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure at 10 years of age with effect sizes around 0.25 SD. The early invitation to food supplementation ameliorated that unfavourable effect. These prenatal nutrition interventions resulted in major improvement in child survival and effects on linear growth, metabolic markers and blood pressure. The combination of micronutrients with improved macronutrient nutrition in early pregnancy seems to be important in a population, where maternal undernutrition still is prevalent. These findings underline the need to analyze multiple and long‐term outcomes of prenatal nutrition interventions and to identify favorable as well as unfavorable effects in order to inform policy formation.Support or Funding InformationThe 4.5 and 10‐year follow‐up was funded by Swedish Research Council

Effects of prenatal micronutrient and early food supplementation on metabolic status of the offspring at 4.5 years of age. The MINIMat randomized trial in rural Bangladesh.

Background: Fetal nutritional insults may alter the later metabolic phenotype. We hypothesized that early timing of prenatal food supplementation and multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) would favourably influence childhood metabolic phenotype.Methods: Pregnant women recruited 1 January to 31 December 2002 in Matlab, Bangladesh, were randomized into supplementation with capsules of either 30 mg of iron and 400 μg of folic acid, 60 mg of iron and 400 μg of folic acid, or MMS containing a daily allowance of 15 micronutrients, and randomized to food supplementation (608 kcal) either with early invitation (9 weeks’ gestation) or usual invitation (at 20 weeks). Their children (n = 1667) were followed up at 4.5 years with assessment of biomarkers of lipid and glucose metabolism, inflammation and oxidative stress.Results: Children in the group with early timing of food supplementation had lower cholesterol (difference -0.079 mmol/l, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.156; -0.003), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (difference -0.068 mmol/l, 95% CI -0.126; -0.011) and ApoB levels (difference -0.017 g/l, 95% CL -0.033; -0.001). MMS supplementation resulted in lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (difference -0.028 mmol/l, 95% CL -0.053; -0.002), lower glucose (difference -0.099 mmol/l, 95% CL -0.179; -0.019) and lower insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) (difference on log scale -0.141 µg/l, 95% CL -0.254; -0.028) than 60 mg iron and 400 μg folic acid. There were no effects on markers of inflammation or oxidative stress.Conclusions: Findings suggest that in a population where malnutrition is prevalent, nutrition interventions during pregnancy may modify the metabolic phenotype in the young child that could have consequences for later chronic disease risks.

Prenatal Nutrient Supplementation and Postnatal Growth in a Developing Nation: An RCT

Prenatal lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) have been shown to improve birth anthropometry. However, little is known about the effects of such supplements on infant health. We hypothesized that prenatal LNS compared with multiple micronutrient supplement for pregnant and lactating women would improve survival, growth, and morbidity during infancy. Infants' weight, length, head, chest, and mid-upper arm circumferences were measured during monthly home visits from birth to 12 months of age in the Micronutriments et Santé de la Mère et de l'Enfant--2 trial. Differences in stunting and wasting episodes between study arms were assessed by Cox regression for recurrent event models. Morbidity signs during the 2 weeks before the visits and death cases were also assessed by multilevel analysis accounting for repeated individual measurements. Infant length-for-age growth (-0.033 z score/month; 95% confidence interval: -0.601 to -0.006; P = .018) for the LNS group was inferior to that of the control group. We did not find evidence of significant difference in mortality or morbidity between groups. The previously reported positive effect of prenatal LNS on birth length was not sustained during the postnatal phase. Prenatal LNS does not appear to make a long-lasting difference in child linear growth.

Prenatal Nutrient Supplementation and Postnatal Growth in a Developing Nation: An RCT

Prenatal Nutrient Supplementation and Postnatal Growth in a Developing Nation: An RCT

Equity in adherence to and effect of prenatal food and micronutrient supplementation on child mortality: results from the MINIMat randomized trial, Bangladesh

BackgroundEvidence is often missing on social differentials in effects of nutrition interventions. We evaluated the adherence to and effect of prenatal food and micronutrient supplementations on mortality before the age of five years in different social groups as defined by maternal schooling.MethodsData came from the MINIMat study (Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions, Matlab), a randomized trial of prenatal food supplementation (invitation early, about 9 weeks [E], or at usual time, about 20 weeks [U] of pregnancy) and 30 mg or 60 mg iron with 400 μgm folic acid, or multiple micronutrients (Fe30F, Fe60F, MMS) resulting in six randomization groups, EFe30F, UFe30F, EFe60F, UFe60F, EMMS, and UMMS (n = 4436). Included in analysis after omissions (fetal loss and out-migration) were 3625 women and 3659 live births of which 3591 had information on maternal schooling. The study site was rural Matlab, Bangladesh. The main stratifying variable was maternal schooling dichotomized as <6 years and ≥6 years. We used Cox proportional hazard model for survival analyses.ResultsOverall, women having <6 years of schooling adhered more to food (81 vs. 69 packets, P=0.0001) but a little less to micronutrient (104 vs. 120 capsules, P = 0.0001) supplementation compared to women having more schooling, adjusted for maternal age (years), parity and body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) at week 8 pregnancy. Children of mothers with ≥6 years of schooling had lower under-five mortality, but the EMMS supplementation reduced the social difference in mortality risk (using standard program and schooling <6 years as reference; standard program and schooling ≥6 years HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.27-1.11; EMMS and schooling ≥6 years HR 0.28, 95% CI 0.12-0.70; EMMS and schooling <6 years HR 0.26, 95% CI 0.11-0.63), adjusted for maternal age (years), parity and body mass index (kg/m2) at week 8 pregnancy.ConclusionsThe combination of an early invitation to prenatal food supplementation and multiple micronutrient supplementation lowered mortality in children before the age of five years and reduced the gap in child survival chances between social groups. The pattern of adherence to the supplementations was complex; women with less education adhered more to food supplementation while those with more education had higher adherence to micronutrients.Trial registrationISRCTN16581394.

Combined Food and Micronutrient Supplements during Pregnancy Have Limited Impact on Child Blood Pressure and Kidney Function in Rural Bangladesh

AbstractObservational evidence suggests nutritional exposures during in utero development may have long-lasting consequences for health; data from interventions are scarce. Here, we present a trial follow-up study to assess the association between prenatal food and micronutrient supplementation and childhood blood pressure and kidney function. During the MINIMat Trial in rural Bangladesh, women were randomly assigned early in pregnancy to receive an early or later invitation to attend a food supplementation program and additionally to receive either iron and folate or multiple micronutrient tablets daily. The 3267 singleton birth individuals with measured anthropometry born during the trial were eligible for a follow-up study at 4.5 y old. A total of 77% of eligible individuals were recruited and blood pressure, kidney size by ultrasound, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR; calculated from plasma cystatin c) were assessed. In adjusted analysis, early invitation to food supplementation was associated with a 0.72-mm Hg [(95% CI: 0.16, 1.28); P = 0.01] lower childhood diastolic blood pressure and maternal MMS supplementation was associated with a marginally higher [0.87 mm Hg (95% CI: 0.18, 1.56); P = 0.01] childhood diastolic blood pressure. There was also some evidence that a supplement higher in iron was associated with a higher offspring GFR. No other effects of the food or micronutrient interventions were observed and there was no interaction between the interventions on the outcomes studied. These marginal associations and small effect sizes suggest limited public health importance in early childhood.

Early prenatal food supplementation ameliorates the negative association of maternal stress with birth size in a randomised trial

Low birthweight increases the risk of infant mortality, morbidity and poor development. Maternal nutrition and stress influence birth size, but their combined effect is not known. We hypothesised that an early-invitation time to start a prenatal food supplementation programme could reduce the negative influence of prenatal maternal stress on birth size, and that effect would differ by infant sex. A cohort of 1041 pregnant women, who had delivered an infant, June 2003-March 2004, was sampled from among 3267 in the randomised controlled trial, Maternal Infant Nutritional Interventions Matlab, conducted in Matlab, Bangladesh. At 8 weeks gestation, women were randomly assigned an invitation to start food supplements (2.5 MJ d(-1) ; 6 days a week) either early (∼9 weeks gestation; early-invitation group) or at usual start time for the governmental programme (∼20 weeks gestation; usual-invitation group). Morning concentration of cortisol was measured from one saliva sample/woman at 28-32 weeks gestation to assess stress. Birth-size measurements for 90% of infants were collected within 4 days of birth. In a general linear model, there was an interaction between invitation time to start the food supplementation programme and cortisol with birthweight, length and head circumference of male infants, but not female infants. Among the usual-invitation group only, male infants whose mothers had higher prenatal cortisol weighed less than those whose mothers had lower prenatal cortisol. Prenatal food supplementation programmes that begin first trimester may support greater birth size of male infants despite high maternal stress where low birthweight is a public health concern.

Prenatal Micronutrient and Early Pregnancy Food Supplementation in Bangladesh—Reply

Prenatal Micronutrient and Early Pregnancy Food Supplementation in Bangladesh—Reply

Prenatal Micronutrient and Early Pregnancy Food Supplementation in Bangladesh

Prenatal Micronutrient and Early Pregnancy Food Supplementation in Bangladesh

Early Participation in a Prenatal Food Supplementation Program Ameliorates the Negative Association of Food Insecurity with Quality of Maternal-Infant Interaction

AbstractFood insecurity is detrimental to child development, yet little is known about the combined influence of food insecurity and nutritional interventions on child development in low-income countries. We proposed that women assigned to an early invitation time to start a prenatal food supplementation program could reduce the negative influence of food insecurity on maternal-infant interaction. A cohort of 180 mother-infant dyads were studied (born between May and October 2003) from among 3267 in the randomized controlled trial Maternal Infant Nutritional Interventions Matlab, which was conducted in Matlab, Bangladesh. At 8 wk gestation, women were randomly assigned an invitation time to start receiving food supplements (2.5 MJ/d; 6 d/wk) either early (~9 wk gestation; early-invitation group) or at the usual start time (~20 wk gestation; usual-invitation group) for the government program. Maternal-infant interaction was observed in homes with the use of the Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training Feeding Scale, and food-insecurity status was obtained from questionnaires completed when infants were 3.4–4.0 mo old. By using a general linear model for maternal-infant interaction, we found a significant interaction (P= 0.012) between invitation time to start a prenatal food supplementation program and food insecurity. Those in the usual-invitation group with higher food insecurity scores (i.e., more food insecure) had a lower quality of maternal-infant interaction, but this relationship was ameliorated among those in the early-invitation group. Food insecurity limits the ability of mothers and infants to interact well, but an early invitation time to start a prenatal food supplementation program can support mother-infant interaction among those who are food insecure.