Women with moderate anaemia prior to conception benefited most from nutrition interventions: a secondary analysis of the Women First preconception maternal nutrition trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The Women First (WF) Preconception Maternal Nutrition trial found greater benefits of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) for intrauterine growth among anaemic versus non-anaemic women at preconception. We investigated whether the benefits of SQ-LNS in improving markers of intrauterine growth occurred evenly across the mild to moderate spectrum of pre-pregnancy anaemia.

Methods

We analysed WF data (n=2443 maternal-newborn dyads) from Pakistan, India, Guatemala and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Women received SQ-LNS either ≥3 months preconception through pregnancy (Arm 1); starting in the late first trimester (Arm 2); or not at all (Arm 3: control), with all supplementations discontinued at delivery. The outcomes were infant weight, lengt

SUBMITTER: Aziz Ali S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12853505 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature