Antenatal Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for pregnant women has been proven to improve maternal nutrition status and, in comparison with iron and folic acid supplements (IFAS), further reduce the risk of adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth, stillbirth, low birth weight, and small-for-gestational-age birth [1, 2, 3]. Providing MMS to women during pregnancy can prevent long-lasting human capital losses in educational years and lifetime income [4].
Scaling up programs that deliver MMS to vulnerable mothers is now an urgent priority. This requires efficient supply chain systems and building awareness of its health benefits among mothers, communities, and maternal healthcare providers.
More than 20 years of research [1, 2] have provided clear evidence that MMS is efficacious, safe, cost-effective, and affordable.
Practical Tools & Resources to Support MMS Introduction and Scale-up
Knowledge Hub
A variety of resources are available on MMS evidence, advocacy, policy, and implementation: Knowledge Bytes, Coffee and Chai Chats, Women’s Voices Films, Expert Interviews and more!
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- Keats, E. C. et al. Multiple‐micronutrient Supplementation for Women during Pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 2019, 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004905.pub6.
- Smith, E. R.et al. Modifiers of the Effect of Maternal Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation on Stillbirth, Birth Outcomes, and Infant Mortality: A Meta-Analysis of Individual Patient Data from 17 Randomised Trials in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries. Lancet Glob. Heal. 2017, 5 (11). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29025632/.
- World Health Organization. WHO Antenatal Care Recommendations for a Positive Pregnancy Experience. Nutritional Interventions Update: Multiple Micronutrient Supplements during Pregnancy.; 2020. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240007789.
- Perumal, N. et al. Impact of scaling up prenatal nutrition interventions on human capital outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: a modeling analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Nov 8;114(5):1708-1718. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab234. Erratum in: Am J Clin Nutr. 2022 Dec 19;116(6):1904. PMID: 34320177; PMCID: PMC8574629.