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The Effect of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements in Reducing Anemia in Women of Reproductive Age

Not Applicable
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Anemia
Interventions
Other: Placebo
Dietary Supplement: IFA
Dietary Supplement: UNIMMAP-MMS
Registration Number
NCT05682261
Lead Sponsor
Ethiopian Public Health Institute
Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to test the effect of multiple micronutrient supplements in reducing anemia in women of reproductive age in comparison with iron-folic acid.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

* What is the effect of multiple micronutrient supplements in reducing anemia among women of reproductive age in comparison with iron-folic acid?

* What is the effect of multiple micronutrient supplements in reducing iron deficiency among women of reproductive age in comparison with iron-folic acid?

Participants will

* be given multiple micronutrient supplements, iron folic acid, or placebo twice weekly for 17 weeks

* be asked to respond to the interview

* provide blood, urine, and stool samples

Researchers will compare the control group with the intervention groups to see the effect of multiple micronutrient supplements on iron deficiency and anemia reduction.

Detailed Description

Women in developing countries are often at risk of micronutrient deficiencies due to inadequate micronutrient intake. Since various micronutrient deficiencies co-exist, multiple micronutrient supplements are recommended to combat their deficiencies. The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of multiple micronutrient supplements among women of reproductive age in reducing anemia compared with iron-folic acid as currently practiced in Ethiopia. The current study is a community-based individual randomized placebo-controlled trial. The trial is double blinded with three parallel groups. This trial will be conducted in three randomly selected kebeles (villages) in the Kebribeyah district in the Somali regional state. The sample size determined for this study is 305. There will be two intervention arms and one control arm in this trial. A third of participants will be in each arms. The intervention arms will will be supplemented with United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient Antenatal Preparation-Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (UNIMMAP-MMS) or iron-folic acid (IFA) and the control arm with placebos twice a week. The investigators will follow the study participants for 17 weeks. The primary outcome is a change in mean hemoglobin concentrations and reduction in anemia prevalence. Stratified randomization will be used to assign the participants randomly to the study arms. In the current trial, the outcome assessors and study subjects will both be blinded. The supplements being administered to participants, as well as who is in the intervention group and who is in the control group, will be masked from the assessors. The trial participants will be blinded to the kind of supplements being administered to them or the group to which they were assigned. The allocation sequence of participants will be concealed from the researcher who will assign the participants to the study arms. When the eligible woman meets the screening criteria and gives informed consent, she will be assigned an envelope that contains an allocation sequence. As outcome measures, the investigators will assess the reduction in overall anemia and iron deficiency anemia attributable to the supplementation. In addition, a complete blood count (CBC) will be tested for all study participants.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
265
Inclusion Criteria
  • Age range of 18-49 years.
  • Mildly anemic (Hb=11.0-11.9 g/dl) or moderately anemic (Hb=8.0-10.9 g/dl) woman
  • Permanent residents (lived for at least six months in the enumeration area)
Exclusion Criteria
  • A woman whose age is below or above the age range 18-49 year
  • A pregnant woman
  • Severely ill and incapacitated woman
  • Non-permanent resident in the enumeration area
  • Severely anemic (Hb <8.0 g/dl) woman
  • A woman with Hb ≥12 g/dl

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Control armPlaceboThe participants in this arm will receive placebos made of sugar (lactose anhydrous). There is no active ingredient in the placebos. The placebos are lactose powder filled in the capsule. We will give placebos twice a week and will follow the study subjects for 17 weeks. The study subjects in this arm will be compensated with UNIMMAP-MMS at the end of the intervention.
Iron-folic acid supplement armIFAThe participants in this arm will receive Iron-Folic Acid (IFA) supplements. The recommended doses of iron-folic acid are 30-60 mg of elemental iron and 400 µg of folic acid combined. In this trial, we will use ferrous sulfate with 30 mg of iron and 400 µg of folic acid in the form of capsule. The supplementation will be given to the study subjects twice a week for 17 weeks.
Multiple micronutrient supplement armUNIMMAP-MMSThe participants in this arm will receive United Nations International Multiple Micronutrient-Multiple Micronutrient Supplements. The recommended doses of UNIMMAP-MMS are vitamin A as retinol acetate (800 µg RAE), vitamin D as cholecalciferol (5 µg), vitamin E as alpha-tocopherol succinate (10 mg), vitamin C as ascorbic acid (70 mg), vitamin B1 as thiamin mononitrate (1.4 mg), vitamin B2 as riboflavin (1.4 mg), vitamin B3 as nicotinamide (18 mg), vitamin B6 as pyridoxine hydrochloride (1.9 mg), vitamin B12 as cyanocobalamin (2.6 µg), folic acid (680 µg), iron as ferrous fumarate (30 mg), zinc as zinc oxide (15 mg), copper as copper oxide (2 mg), selenium as sodium selenite (65 µg), iodine as potassium iodide (150 µg). The UNIMMAP-MMS in the tablet form will be used. We will give the supplementation twice a week and follow the study participants for 17 weeks.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in overall anemia among women of reproductive ageBlood sample will be collected once at baseline and once at end-line in four months

Anemia diagnosed when hemoglobin concentration test result is less than 12 g/dl

Change in mean hemoglobin concentrations among women of reproductive ageBlood sample will be collected once at baseline and once at end-line in four months

Hemoglobin concentration is measured in gram/deciliter from whole blood samples collected at baseline and end-line.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in mean ferritin concentration among women of reproductive ageThe serum samples will be collected once at the baseline and once at the end-line in four months

Ferritin concentration is measured from serum ferritin in µg/L.

Change in iron deficiency anemia among women of reproductive ageBlood sample will be collected once at baseline and once at end-line in four months

Iron deficiency anemia is diagnosed when hemoglobin concentration test result is less than 12 g/dl and the ferritin concentration test result is less than 15 µg/L

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Ethiopian Public Health Institute

🇪🇹

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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