Effect of prenatal micronutrient-fortified balanced energy-protein supplementation on maternal and newborn body composition: A sub-study from the MISAME-III randomized controlled efficacy trial in rural Burkina Faso

Background: Micronutrient-fortified balanced energy-protein (BEP) supplements are promising interventions to prevent intrauterine growth retardation in low- and middle-income countries. On the other hand, one concern with blanket prenatal supplementation programs using energy-dense supplements is that they could lead to more maternal and/or infant overweight. However, evidence is lacking on the potential effect of BEP on maternal and offspring body composition. This study evaluates the effects of micronutrient-fortified BEP supplementation during pregnancy on body composition of mothers and their newborns in rural Burkina Faso. Methods and findings: The MISAME-III study is an open label individually randomized controlled trial where pregnant women (n = 1,897) of gestational age