Lipid-based nutrient supplement increases the birth size of infants of primiparous women in Ghana

Abstract

Prenatal LNS supplementation can improve fetal growth among vulnerable women in Ghana, particularly primiparous women. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00970866.

PROCOMIDA, a Food-Assisted Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Program, Reduces Child Stunting in Guatemala: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Intervention Trial

“…To date, impacts of LNSs on children's linear growth have been mixed. Our null results are in line with those from studies conducted in Malawi (13, 34) and Burkina Faso (35) which also did not find an effect of LNSs on linear growth outcomes, and in Ghana where the impact of LNSs on birth length was limited to primiparous women (36). Thus, we cannot exclude the possibility that the lack of impact could be due to limitations of the efficacy of LNSs in the Guatemalan context.…”

Supplementation of Maternal Diets during Pregnancy and for 6 Months Postpartum and Infant Diets Thereafter with Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements Does Not Promote Child Growth by 18 Months of Age in Rural Malawi: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…4 Supplemental Tables 1-6 are available from the ''Online Supporting Material'' link in the online posting of the article and from the same link in the online table of contents at http://jn.nutrition.org. 13 Abbreviations used: CSB, corn-soy blend; IFA, iron and folic acid; iLiNS, International Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements; LAZ, length-for-age z score; LNS, lipid-based nutrient supplement; MMN, multiple micronutrients; MUAC, midupper arm circumference; SAE, serious adverse event; SQ-LNS, small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement; WAZ, weight-for-age z score; WLZ, weight-forlength z score. *To whom correspondence should be addressed.…”

“…The investigators of those trials have concluded that providing LNSs for 6-12 mo may modestly promote infant or young child growth, either in the entire target population or a selected subgroup (8)(9)(10)(11). In addition, 3 trials among pregnant women each suggested that maternal LNSs may modestly increase mean birth weight and length, at least if targeted to selected subgroups of women (7,(12)(13)(14). Thus, LNSs hold promise as a dietary supplement to combat childhood stunting, but so far there are no reports on the combined effects of both prenatal and postnatal supplementation with LNSs.…”

“…In recent years, attention has increased to the promotion of fetal growth as another means for stunting prevention (3). This approach seems logical, given the accumulating evidence that in low-income settings intrauterine growth restriction could be reduced by supplementing the maternal diet with multiple micronutrients (MMN) 13 or with protein and energy during pregnancy (5). Only a few trials have, however, included a follow-up to assess the impact of a prenatal intervention on infant or child growth (6,7).…”

U-shaped curve for risk associated with maternal hemoglobin, iron status, or iron supplementation

“…Twenty-seven observational studies were reviewed in total. Additionally, we reviewed data from recent trials we conducted in Ghana, Malawi, and Bangladesh (6)(7)(8), because these data included an indicator of iron status, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), not previously reported by any study examining the association between high iron status and birth outcomes and measured in only one study examining the association between low iron status and birth outcomes (9). Tables 1-3 summarize the associations with maternal hemoglobin concentrations from 10 studies in the United States and Western Europe, 6 in Asia, one in Africa, one in South America, and one in the Middle East.…”