Newborn micronutrient status biomarkers in a cluster-randomized trial of antenatal multiple micronutrient compared with iron folic acid supplementation in rural Bangladesh

This double-blinded, cluster-randomized trial compared the effects of antenatal iron-folic acid (IFA) and multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) on the micronutrient status of newborns in rural Bangladesh. MMS increased newborn ferritin, 25(OH)D, and zinc, while maternal and newborn folate, vitamins B-12, D, and E, zinc, and iodine biomarkers were positively related. Despite the limited effects of MMS, better maternal micronutrient status was associated with improved micronutrient status of Bangladeshi newborns.