Effects of a combined micronutrient supplementation on maternal biological status and newborn anthropometrics measurements: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in apparently healthy pregnant women.

Objective: To investigate the possible beneficial effects of a micronutrient supplementation to apparently healthy pregnant women on maternal biological status and new born anthropometric characteristics.

Setting: Departments of Obstetric of the University Hospital of Grenoble (France) and Lyon (France), Laboratoire of Biology of Oxidative Stress, UFR de Pharmacie. Grenoble (France).

Study Design: Double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled intervention trial.

Subjects: A total of 100 apparently healthy pregnant women were recruited at 14+/-2 weeks of gestation to delivery. At the end, they were 65 women to follow out the study.

Interventions: Daily consumption over gestation of a micronutrients supplement or placebo.

Main Outcome Measures: Plasma micronutrient levels and oxidative stress parameters were measured in mothers at 14 and 38 weeks of gestation. New born's anthropometric characteristics were measured at delivery.

Results: In the supplemented group, folic acid, vitamin C, E, B2, B6 and beta-carotene levels were higher than in the placebo group. Oxidative stress parameters were not different between the groups. Birth weights were increased by 10% and the number of low newborn weights (<2700 g) decreased significantly when the mother received the supplementation. Maternal plasma Zn levels were positively correlated to the newborn heights.

Conclusion: A regular intake of a micronutrient supplement at nutritional dose may be sufficient to improve micronutrient status of apparently healthy pregnant women and could prevent low birth weight of newborn.