Effects of Prenatal Micronutrient and Early Food Supplementation on Maternal Hemoglobin, Birth Weight, and Infant Mortality Among Children in Bangladesh

CONTEXT: Nutritional insult in fetal life and small size at birth are common in low-income countries and are associated with serious health consequences. OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that prenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) and an early invitation to food supplementation would increase maternal hemoglobin level and birth weight and decrease infant mortality, and to assess whether a combination of these interventions would further enhance these outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A randomized trial with a factorial design in Matlab, Bangladesh, of 4436 pregnant women, recruited between November 11, 2001, and October 30, 2003, with follow-up until June 23, 2009. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized into 6 groups; a double-masked supplementation with capsules of 30 mg of iron and 400 μg…