MedPath

Supplementing Maternal and Infant Diet With High-energy, Micronutrient Fortified Lipid-based Nutrient Supplements (LNS)

Phase 3
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Infant Malnutrition
Malnutrition in Pregnancy
Interventions
Dietary Supplement: MMN
Dietary Supplement: IFA
Dietary Supplement: LNS
Registration Number
NCT01239693
Lead Sponsor
Tampere University
Brief Summary

The use of lipid-based nutrients (LNS), such as Nutributter or fortified spread (FS), have been associated with improved growth and development outcomes among infants in Ghana and Malawi. Modified versions of such supplements have been developed to improve their nutrient density and quality and to lower their costs. Such modified products have proven acceptable to pregnant women in Malawi and Ghana. In the present trial, the investigators aim to test the effect of LNS on pregnancy and child outcomes, when given during pregnant and lactating women and their infants from 6 to 18 months of age. In control groups, participants will receive either iron+folate tables during pregnancy only or multiple micronutrient tablets during pregnancy and first six months of lactations. The main hypothesis to be tested suggests that the mean length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) of 18-month-old infants who received LNS between 6 and 18 months of age and whose mothers were provided with LNS during pregnancy and the first 6 months of lactation is higher than the mean LAZ score of same age infants who received no dietary supplements and whose mothers received iron-folate supplementation during pregnancy only.

To detect the long-term effect of the LNS supplementation, we now propose to conduct a follow-up study when the children are 9 years old, to see if the intervention had effect on children's growth, cardiometabolic and respiratory status and neurocognitive development.

Detailed Description

Pregnant women will be identified from the antenatal clinics of 4 governmental and 2 other health centres. A total of 1400 women meeting set criteria will be randomised into receiving one of the following interventions: 1) Iron and folic acid supplementation to the mother during pregnancy only (IFA group), 2). Multiple micronutrient supplementation to the mother during pregnancy and six months thereafter (MMN group), 3) Lipid-based nutrient supplements to the mother during pregnancy and six months thereafter and to the child from 6 to 18 months of age (LNS group).

The mothers will receive LNS or the multiple micronutrients at 2-weekly intervals at their homes during pregnancy and weekly during first six months of lactation. Children in the LNS group will receive LNS weekly, starting at 6 months. Mothers will be medically examined and tested for defined laboratory parameters at enrolment, at 36 gestation weeks, at birth or soon thereafter, and at 6 months after delivery. Child size will be assessed at birth or soon thereafter and at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months of age. The mothers will undergo a morbidity evaluation fortnightly and the children weekly.

864 mother-infant pairs will undergo the complete intervention and follow-up, as described above. The remaining 536 participants will undergo a simplified intervention and follow-up, in which there are no interventions after birth and the child follow-up consists only of 4 3 health centre and one home visits; first at 1 week, then at six weeks (at home) and at 6 and 18 months of age.

A sub-study on the the development of intestinal microbiome was added in August 2011. This entails the collection of stool samples from the mother at 1 month after delivery, breast milk samples from the mothers at 1, 3, and 6 months after delivery and stool and urine samples from the children repeated during the a8 months of intervention. The aim of this subproject is to study the development of the infants' intestinal microbiota, its predictors and its association to child growth and other health outcomes. At the same time point, the sample size was reduced from 2400 to 1400 participants (due to constraints in funding).

A one year post-intervention follow-up for participants in the complete follow-up was added to the study protocol in August 2013. The intervention will be stopped when the participants are 18 months old. Thereafter, there will be an anthropometrirc assessment and blood and urine draw at the study clinic at 24 and 30 months of age. Stool samples will be collected from the participants at the age of 21, 24, 27 and 30 months, to study the development of intestinal microbiome.

In a follow-up study, when the children are 10 years old, we will assess:

1. child growth using standard anthropometric measures,

2. cardiometabolic health by measuring body composition, blood pressure and plasma lipids,

3. neurodevelopment by measuring neural function, cognitive skills and education attainment using EE and EGMA and Raven's questionnaires,

4. lung function with spirometry and allergy symptoms and asthma using ISAAC questionnaire.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
1391
Inclusion Criteria
  • Ultrasound confirmed pregnancy of no more than 20 completed gestation weeks
  • Permanent resident of Mangochi District Hospital, Malindi Hospital or Lungwena Health Centre catchment areas
  • Availability during the period of the study
  • Signed informed consent
Read More
Exclusion Criteria
  • Less than 15 years of age
  • Need for frequent medical attention due to a chronic health condition
  • Diagnosed asthma treated with regular medication
  • Severe illness warranting hospital referral
  • History of allergy towards peanuts
  • History of anaphylaxis or serious allergic reaction to any substance, requiring emergency medical care
  • Pregnancy complications evident at enrolment visit (moderate to severe oedema, blood Hb concentration < 5 g / dl, systolic blood pressure (BP) > 160 mmHg or diastolic BP > 100 mmHg)
  • Earlier participation in the iLiNS-DYAD-M trial
  • Concurrent participation in any other clinical trial
Read More

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
MMN groupMMNWomen during pregnancy: 1 tablet of multiple micronutrients daily until delivery Women during lactation (from delivery to 6 months post-partum): 1 daily tablet of multiple micronutrients' Children from 6 to 18 months of age: None
IFA groupIFAWomen during pregnancy: 1 tablet of iron+ folate daily until delivery (60 mg iron + 400 ug folic acid) Women during lactation (from delivery to 6 months post-partum): 1 daily tablet of calcium (200 mg), akin to placebo Children from 6 to 18 months of age: None
LNS groupLNSWomen during pregnancy: 1 sachet of LNS-P\&L (20 g of LNS) daily until delivery Women during lactation (from delivery to 6 months post-partum): 1 daily sachet of LNS-P\&L (20 g of LNS) Children from 6 to 18 months of age: 2 daily sachet of LNS-20gM (20 g of LNS)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Birth weightapprox 20 weeks after enrollment (within 48 hours)
Newborn lengthAt 1 week of age
Length for age Z-score (LAZ) at 18 months of age12 months after enrollment (age 18 months)
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
plasma concentration of cholesterolChild is 10 years

Cobas c702 machine

Spirometry measures functional volume of the lungsChild is 10 years

Global Lung Function Initiative standards, Medikro pro spirometry

asthma symptomsChild is 10 years

ISAAC questionnaire

Proportion of low birth weight babiesAt birth
Malaria immunityAt 6 and 18 months of age
mid-upper arm circumferenceChild is 10 years
body compositionChild is 10 years

Tanita MC-780 MAS

Blood pressureAt 36 wk gestation
Anthropometric status (weight, BMI, mid upper arm circumference and triceps and sub-scapular skin-fold thickness)at ~ 36 wk gestation and 6 months postpartum
Gestational age at delivery, proportion of preterm deliveriesAt delivery
Anaemia and iron status (Hb, ZPP, transferrin receptor), other micronutrient status (vitamin A, B-vitamins, zinc), malarial antigenAt ~ 36 wk gestation and 6 mo postpartum
Red blood cell essential fatty acid statusAt ~ 36 wk gestation
Urinary iodineAt ~ 36 wk gestation
Total plasma cholesterol concentrationAt ~ 36 wk gestation
Basal salivary cortisol concentrationAt 6, 12 and 18 months of age
Breast milk composition (essential fatty acids, vitamin A, B-vitamins)At 6 mo postpartum
Depressive symptoms (which may be related to essential fatty acid status)At 4 weeks and at 6 months postpartum
Placental malaria histologyAt delivery
Incidence of febrile malaria episodesDuring pregnancy
Peripheral blood malaria parasitaemiaAt 32 wk gestation and at delivery
Evidence of defined bacteria in the chorionic membranes at delivery (quantitative DNA amplification method)At birth
Prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoea, Chlamydia trachomatis, in swab samples taken from maternal uterine cervix(qualitative DNA amplification method)At one week after delivery
Prevalence of bacterial vaginosis, Trichomonas vaginalis, or candidiasis, in swab samples taken from maternal vagina(direct microscopy)At one week after delivery
Anthropometric infant status (weight, length, head circumference and mid upper arm circumference)At 7 days of age and at 6, 12 and 18 months of age. After the intervention at 24 and 30 months and at 10 y of age.
Infant anaemia and iron status (Hb, ZPP), micronutrient (vitamin A, B-vitamins) and essential fatty acids status, evidence of acute inflammation (CRP, AGP), and malarial antigen and microscopyAt 6 and 18 months of age
Incidence of neonatal hospitalizationsAt or before age 28 days
Clinical morbidityBetween 0 and 18 months of age
Child feeding practices and maternal report of child sleep patternsAt 6, 12 and 18 months of age
Antibody response to measles vaccinationAt 18 months of age
Cortisol response to acute stressAt 6 and 18 months of age
weightChild is 10 years
Mother - child interaction6 months after delivery

Measured with a number of observational tests and questionnaires

Achievement of five motor milestones and four other developmental milestonesFrom 0 to 18 mo
plasma concentration of glucoseChild is 10 years

Cobas c702 machine

Neurobehavioral developmentAt 18 months of age
Incidence of serious adverse eventsDuring pregnancy and 18 months of infant follow-up
Prevalence of maternal periodontitisAt one week after delivery
Maternal cognition6 months after delivery

Measured with several different tests

The composition of intestinal microbiota1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, and 30 months of child age

Done with 16s sequencing, from stored stool samples

diastolic blood pressureChild is 10 years

Mobil-o-Graph blood pressure monitoring system

central blood pressureChild is 10 years

Mobil-o-Graph blood pressure monitoring system

pulse rateChild is 10 years

Mobil-o-Graph blood pressure monitoring system

vascular resistanceChild is 10 years

Mobil-o-Graph blood pressure monitoring system

plasma concentration of HDL/LDL cholesterolChild is 10 years

Cobas c702 machine

plasma concentration of triglyceridesChild is 10 years

Cobas c702 machine

plasma concentration of c-reactive proteinChild is 10 years

Cobas c702 machine

plasma concentration of alkaline phosphataseChild is 10 years

Cobas c702 machine

plasma concentration of potassiumChild is 10 years

Cobas c702 machine

neural functioningChild is 10 years

EEG

processing speedChild is 10 years

EEG

plasma concentration of aspartyl alanine transferaseChild is 10 years

Cobas c702 machine

plasma concentration of sodiumChild is 10 years

Cobas c702 machine

allergy symptomsChild is 10 years

ISAAC questionnaire

oculomotor reaction timeChild is 10 years

eye-tracking

head circumferenceChild is 10 years
plasma concentration of urateChild is 10 years

Cobas c702 machine

academic achievementChild is 10 years

Early Grade Mathematics Assessment, EGMA

heightChild is 10 years
sitting heightChild is 10 years

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Malawi, College of Medicine

🇲🇼

Mangochi, Malawi

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