Micronutrient dose response (MiNDR) study among women of reproductive age and pregnant women in rural Bangladesh: study protocol for double-blind, randomised, controlled trials

INTRODUCTION: Optimising the micronutrient status of women before and during reproduction confers benefits to them and their offspring. Antenatal multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), given as a daily tablet with nutrients at ~1 recommended dietary allowance (RDA) or adequate intake (AI) reduces adverse birth outcomes. However, at this dosage, MMS may not fully address micronutrient deficiencies in settings with chronically inadequate diets and infection. A bioefficacy study to determine amounts required to attain nutrient adequacy among women of reproductive age (WRA) and pregnant women (PW) aims to address this gap. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Two, four-arm, dose-response trials (n=240 participants/trial) with a double-blind, individually randomised, controlled design are underway in 18-35 year-old WRA and PW in rural northern Bangladesh. The trials will…