title: Effects of pre- and post-natal lipid-based nutrient supplements on infant development in a randomized trial in Ghana.
abstract: Maternal and infant undernutrition is negatively associated with infant development.
  
  
  
  We tested the hypothesis that provision of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) to pregnant women and infants positively affects infant development.
  
  
  
  In a partially double-blind randomized controlled trial, we compared the following daily maternal supplements during pregnancy and until 6months post-partum: iron/folic acid capsule (IFA), capsule containing 18 micronutrients (MMN), or 20g SQ-LNS. Children in the SQ-LNS group also received SQ-LNS from age 6 to 18months. The study is registered as NCT00970866.
  
  
  
  1320 pregnant women in Ghana enrolled in the trial; 1173 of their children participated in developmental assessment.
  
  
  
  We monitored the acquisition of 10 developmental milestones monthly by parental report, observed the attainment of 6 motor milestones at 6, 12, and 18months, and conducted detailed assessment of motor, language, socio-emotional, and executive function at 18months.
  
  
  
  By researcher observation, a greater percentage of children in the SQ-LNS group (53%) was able to walk alone at 12months than in the IFA group (43%; RR=1.23, 95% CI=1.02-1.49; p=0.025). We found no significant differences between groups in milestone acquisition by parent report or in any scores at 18months. The difference in mean z-scores between groups ranged from 0.03-0.13 for motor (p=0.84), 0.01-0.08 for language (p=0.46), 0.01-0.02 for socio-emotional (p=0.75), and 0.00-0.02 for executive function (p=0.95).
  
  
  
  While provision of maternal and child SQ-LNS in Ghana may affect walking at 12months, it did not affect infant development at 18months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, 3253 Meyer Hall, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA. Electronic address: elprado@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Box LG, 134, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Seth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adu-Afarwuah
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Box LG, 134, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lartey
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, 3253 Meyer Hall, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA; Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Box LG, 134, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Maku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ocansey
authors.affiliation: Center for Child Health Research, University of Tampere School of Medicine and Tampere University Hospital, Arvo building, FIN33014, University of Tampere, Finland; Department of Paediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, POB 2000, FIN33521 Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ashorn
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California Davis, 2135 Social Sciences and Humanities, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Steve A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Vosti
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of California Davis, 3253 Meyer Hall, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Dewey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002657:Child Development; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D018977:Micronutrients
keywords: Executive function; Language development; Lipid-based nutrient supplements; Motor development; Multiple micronutrients; Socio-emotional development