Impact of nutritional and multiple micronutrients supplementation to lactating mothers 6 months postpartum on the maternal and infant micronutrient status: a randomised controlled trial in Delhi, India

Abstract

Objectives:

To assess the impact of nutritional and multiple-micronutrient supplementation to lactating mothers on the micronutrient status of mother–infant dyad at 6 months of age postnatally. Design:

This study was a trial that aimed to investigate the impact of maternal nutritional supplementation on infant growth. A secondary objective was to assess the effect on the micronutrient status of mother–infant pairs. The intervention group mothers received snacks with 600 kcal energy, 20 g protein and daily micronutrient tablets. Setting:

Blood samples were collected from both mothers and infants at 6 months. Participants:

The participants in this study were mother–infant pairs. The micronutrient status of these pairs was assessed through blood samples, focusing on vitamins A, D, B12, ferritin, Zn and folate. Results:

Micronutrient analysis of serum samples from 600 mother–infant pairs showed that mothers in the intervention group had higher levels of serum ferritin (mean difference (MD) 14·7 ng/ml), retinol (MD 0·6 μmol/l), folate (MD 3·3 ng/ml) and vitamin D (1·03 ng/ml) at 6 months postpartum. Additionally, the supplementation was associated with a higher mean ± sd of serum ferritin (MD 8·9 ng/ml) and vitamin A (MD 0·2 μmol/l) levels in infants at 6 months. Conclusions:

The study found that supplementing maternal nutrition with additional dietary and micronutrient intakes during lactation improved maternal micronutrient status and slightly increased ferritin and vitamin A levels in infants at 6 months. The findings highlight the importance of nutritional interventions for improving the micronutrient health of mother–infant pairs, with significant public health implications.