Multi-domain interventions from preconception to early childhood and neurodevelopment at 4-6 years

Substantial number of under-5 children in low resource settings are documented to be at risk of developmental deficits. Even though it is established that the etiology is multi-factorial, previous studies have largely focused on standalone interventions delivered in specific phases of life i.e., either pregnancy or postnatal or a combination and found small to modest improvements on child neurodevelopment. Effects of additional intervening in the period prior to conception (pre-conception period) are largely unstudied and so is the impact of a package of interventions that address majority of the modifiable risk factors for poor development. Our recent trial (WINGS) (CTRI/2017/06/008908) showed that a package of health, nutrition, psychosocial care, and WaSH interventions encompassing preconception, pregnancy and early childhood periods leads to substantial improvement in neurodevelopmental outcomes at 24 months of age (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38165408/).

The present study will follow up children, enrolled in the previously conducted WINGS trial, until their pre-school age (4-6 years) and assess their neurodevelopment.