Parul Christian|Tianan Jiang|Subarna K. Khatry|Steven C. LeClerq|Santosh Kumar Shrestha|Keith P. West
Antenatal supplementation with micronutrients and biochemical indicators of status and subclinical infection in rural Nepal
Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University|Johns Hopkins University
previously showed women rural nepal experience multiple micronutrient deficiencies early pregnancythis study examined effects daily antenatal micronutrient supplementation changes biochemical status several micronutrients pregnancyin nepal conducted randomized controlled trial 4 combinations micronutrients folic acid folic acid iron folic acid iron zinc multiple micronutrient supplement containing folic acid iron zinc 11 nutrients plus vitamin vitamin alone control given daily pregnancy subsample subjects n 740 blood collected supplementation approximately 32 wk gestationin control group serum concentrations zinc riboflavin vitamins b12 b6 decreased whereas copper alphatocopherol increased first third trimester concentrations serum folate 25hydroxyvitamin undercarboxylated prothrombin remained unchanged supplementation folic acid alone folic acid iron decreased folate deficiency however addition zinc failed increase serum folate suggests negative inhibition multiple micronutrient supplementation increased serum folate folic acid iron zinc failed improve zinc status reduced subclinical infection multiple micronutrient supplementation decreased prevalence serum riboflavin vitamin b6 vitamin b12 folate vitamin deficiencies effect infectionin rural nepal antenatal supplementation multiple micronutrients ameliorate extent burden deficiency implications biochemical improvements absence functional health benefits remain unclear