Most of the small vulnerable babies who are born too soon or too small suffer from various health issues. So a study was carried out analyzing the effects of prenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) and small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplementation (SQ-LNS) on small vulnerable newborns by Dongqing Wang affiliated with the Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, USA and other people. The study was published (1) in The Lancet Global Health.
In this meta-analysis, individual participant data from randomised controlled trials of MMS and randomised controlled trials of SQ-LNS in low-income and middle-income countries were used.
Low birthweight (LBW) is the major cause of neonatal mortality and a precursor for adverse child health and nutrition throughout life. An estimated 19·8 million live births were of LBW in 2020. (2)
Under this study, preterm births, small for gestational age (SGA) births, and LBW births come together under the unified concept of small vulnerable newborns.
Wang found out that compared with iron and folic acid supplements alone, prenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS), which includes iron and folic acid supplements, reduces the risk of LBW birth and SGA birth and might also prevent preterm birth.
Wang estimated that prenatal MMS had the greatest protective effects against the risk of giving birth to a neonate who is preterm SGA low birthweight with a reduction in risk by 27% and or preterm low birthweight with a reduction in risk by 18%.
The analysis was exploratory, they showed that the effects of SQ-LNS on small vulnerable newborns might be stronger among participants initiating supplementation before 20 weeks of gestation.
Conclusion:
Prenatal MMS and SQ-LNS reduce the risk of small vulnerable newborn types to varying extents. The protective effects are particularly substantial for small vulnerable newborn types conferring the greatest risk of neonatal mortality. Measures should also be taken to address concerns such as poverty, poor maternal education, maternal and child food security.
References:
Wang, Dongqing, Seth Adu-Afarwuah, et al. "The Effects of Prenatal Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation and Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplementation on Small Vulnerable Newborn Types in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries: A Meta-Analysis of Individual Participant Data." The Lancet Global Health 13, no. 2 (2024): e298–e308. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00449-2.
Lawn, Joy E., Per Ashorn, Eric O. Ohuma, Veronica Pingray, Lee S.F. Wu, et al. "Small Babies, Big Risks: Global Estimates of Prevalence and Mortality for Vulnerable Newborns to Accelerate Change and Improve Counting." The Lancet 401, no. 10389 (2023): 1707–1719. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00522-6.
(Rehash/Anam Khan/MSM)