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Cited by 54Child Nutrition and Water AccessGlobal Maternal and Child HealthPublic Health and Nutrition

Multiple micronutrient powders for home (point-of-use) fortification of foods in pregnant women

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Suchdev, Parminder S, Peña-Rosas, Juan Pablo, De-Regil, Luz Maria·2015·Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd011158.pub2PMC PMC10979523
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: It is estimated that 32 million pregnant women suffer from anaemia worldwide. Due to increased metabolic demands, pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to anaemia and vitamin and mineral deficiencies, leading to adverse health effects in both the mother and her baby. Despite the demonstrated benefits of prenatal supplementation with iron and folic acid or multiple micronutrients, poor adherence to routine supplementation has limited the effectiveness of this intervention in many settings. Micronutrient powders for point-of-use fortification are packed, single-dose sachets containing vitamins and minerals that can be added onto prepared food to improve its nutrient profile. The use of multiple micronutrient powders for point-of-use fortification of foods in pregnant women could be an alternative intervention to prenatal micronutrient supplementation. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of prenatal home (point-of-use) fortification of foods with multiple micronutrient powders on maternal and newborn health. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 January 2015) and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (31 January 2015). We also contacted relevant agencies to identify ongoing and unpublished studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (both individual and cluster randomisation) and quasi-randomised trials, irrespective of language or publication status.The intervention was micronutrient powders for point-of-use fortification of foods, containing at least three micronutrients with one of them being iron, provided to pregnant women of any gestational age and parity. Five comparison groups were considered: no intervention/placebo, iron and folic acid supplements, iron-only supplements, folic-acid only supplements, and multiple micronutrients in supplements. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed the eligibility of studies, extracted and checked data accuracy, and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. MAIN RESULTS: Our search identified 12 reports (relating to six studies). We included two cluster-randomised controlled trials (involving 1172 women) - these trials were considered to be at a moderate to high risk of bias due to methodological limitations. One trial is ongoing, and three studies were excluded. Micronutrient powders for point-of-use fortification of foods versus iron and folic acid supplementsOne trial (involving 478 pregnant women attending 42 antenatal care centres) compared micronutrient powders containing iron, folic acid, vitamin C and zinc with iron and folic acid tablets provided daily from 14 to 22 weeks to 32 weeks' gestation. The trial did not report on any of this review's primary outcomes: maternal anaemia at or near term, maternal iron deficiency, maternal mortality, adverse effects, low birthweight, preterm births. Nor did the trial report on the majority of this review's secondary outcomes, with the exception of maternal adherence. Adherence to micronutrient powders was lower than adherence to iron and folic acid supplements (risk ratio (RR) 0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66 to 0.87, one study, n = 405). Micronutrient powders for point-of-use fortification of foods versus same multiple micronutrients in supplementsOne study (involving 694 pregnant women from 18 communities), compared micronutrient powders containing iron, folic acid, vitamin C, zinc, iodine, vitamin E and vitamin B12 with tablets containing the same seven micronutrients. There was no difference in maternal anaemia at 37 weeks of gestation (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.53 to 1.59, one study, n = 470, very low quality evidence). The trial did not report on any of this review's other primary outcomes in relation to maternal iron deficiency, maternal mortality, adverse effects, low birthweight, or preterm birth. In terms of this review's secondary outcomes, the included trial did not report on the majority of this review's prespecified secondary outcomes with one exception - there was no clear difference in maternal haemoglobin Hb or near term (mean difference (MD) 1.0 g/L, 95% CI -1.77 to 3.77, one study, n = 470). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Limited evidence suggests that micronutrient powders for point-of-use fortification of foods have no clear difference as multiple micronutrient supplements on maternal anaemia (very low quality evidence) and Hb at or near term. There is limited evidence to suggest that women were more likely to adhere to taking tablets than using micronutrient powders.The overall quality of evidence was judged very low (due to methodological limitations), and no evidence was available for the majority of primary and secondary outcomes. Therefore, more evidence is needed to assess the potential benefits or harms of the use of micronutrient powders in pregnant women on maternal and infant health outcomes. Future trials should also assess adherence to micronutrient powde

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Authors
Suchdev, P. S., Peña-Rosas, J. P., & De-Regil, L. M.
Affiliations
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
  • World Health Organization; Evidence and Programme Guidance, Department of Nutrition for Health and Development; 20 Avenue Appia Geneva Switzerland 1211
  • Micronutrient Initiative; Research and Evaluation; 180 Elgin Street, Suite 1000 Ottawa ON Canada K2P 2K3
ORCID
Suchdev, Parminder S
Venue
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2015-06-19
Volume
2015
Issue
6
Pages
CD011158-CD011158
ISSN
  • 1361-6137 (ISSN-L)
  • 1465-1858
DOI
10.1002/14651858.cd011158.pub2
PMC
PMC10979523
OpenAlex
W2104650964
Cited by
54
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1
FWCI
0.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Child Nutrition and Water Access
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Global Maternal and Child Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Public Health and Nutrition
Keywords
micronutrient powders, home fortification, pregnant women, anemia in pregnancy, iron and folic acid supplementation, maternal health, newborn health, birth weight, low birth weight, preterm birth, neonatal mortality, maternal mortality, maternal morbidity, micronutrient deficiency, zinc supplementation, vitamin C supplementation
MeSH terms
Anemia, Female, Food, Fortified, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Powders, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic, Prenatal Care, Prevalence, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Micronutrients, Dietary Supplements, Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena

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