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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2018 Jun;31(12):1586-1594.
doi: 10.1080/14767058.2017.1320984. Epub 2017 May 7.

Impact of maternal nutritional supplementation in conjunction with a breastfeeding support program on breastfeeding performance, birth, and growth outcomes in a Vietnamese population

Dieu T T Huynh  1 , Nga T Tran  2 , Lam T Nguyen  2 , Yatin Berde  3 , Yen Ling Low  1
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Free article
Randomized Controlled Trial

Impact of maternal nutritional supplementation in conjunction with a breastfeeding support program on breastfeeding performance, birth, and growth outcomes in a Vietnamese population

Dieu T T Huynh et al. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2018 Jun.
Free article

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal nutritional supplementation (MNS) in conjunction with a breastfeeding support program on birth outcomes and breastfeeding performance.

Methods: A total of 228 singleton Vietnamese mothers aged 20-35 years at 26-29 weeks of gestation with pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) < 25.0 kg/m2 were randomized to the intervention (n = 114), receiving MNS (252 kcal/day) daily up to 12 weeks postpartum and four breastfeeding education and support sessions or to the control (n = 114), receiving standards of care.

Results: The intervention was 2.09 times more likely to exclusively breastfeed over the 12 weeks than the control (95%CI: 1.05-4.13, p = .0358), after controlling for potential confounders. Infant's breast milk intake was significantly higher in the intervention than the control among mothers with baseline mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) < 50th (p = .0251). Infants in the intervention had significantly higher birth weight (p = .0312), birth weight-for-age (p = .0141) and birth head circumference-for-age (p = .0487), and higher head circumference-for-age z-score (p = .0183) development over the postnatal period, compared with the control.

Conclusions: Use of MNS and breastfeeding support improve birth outcomes and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rate in Vietnamese mothers. Additionally, it promotes breast milk production among mothers with lower baseline MUAC.

Keywords: Maternal nutritional supplementation; birth outcomes; breast milk intake; breastfeeding support; exclusive breastfeeding.

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