Lee Swanson Research Update

Baby Birth Weight Appears to Rise When Mothers Take Multis

February 2008

Micronutrient supplements taken during pregnancy may result in the birth of heavier babies, compared to babies born to mothers taking only iron and folic acid, according to a new study published in the journal The Lancet.

Low birth weight (less than 2,500 grams) has been linked to higher risks of negative health outcomes, including neonatal and infant mortality, poor growth and cognitive development and higher risks of chronic diseases later in life, like diabetes and heart disease.

The new report adds to earlier data concerning 1,200 women receiving either a multivitamin and mineral supplement or only iron and folic acid (IFA) during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The earlier study reported that birth weight was, on average, 77 grams more in children born to mothers given multivitamin and mineral supplements, compared to those born to mothers given IFA.

The new study followed 917 of the children from the 2005 study until the age of two and one-half. Four hundred sixty-two of the children were from mothers given multivitamin and mineral supplements and 455 were from mothers in the IFA group.

Researchers found that children were an average of 204 grams heavier if their mothers had received the multivitamin and mineral supplement, compared to those born to mothers given IFA. Also, the heavier children were also bigger, with a 2.4 mm bigger head circumference, a 3.2 mm bigger chest circumference, and a 2.4 mm bigger mid-upper arm circumference. The systolic blood pressure was also a mean of 2.5 mm Hg lower in the children born to mothers given multivitamin and mineral supplements.

The Lancet 371:492-499, 2008

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