Effects of third trimester counseling on pregnancy weight gain, birthweight, and breastfeeding among urban poor women in Bangladesh.

Background: Maternal malnutrition and poor gestational weight gain are the most important causes of low birth weight and high rates of newborn mortality.

Objective: To assess the effects of nutrition counseling in the third trimester of pregnancy on maternal weight gain, birth weight of newborn, and breastfeeding practices.

Methods: This was a longitudinal experimental study with nutrition intervention for a period of 3 months.