Why was this study done?
GROWTH RETARDATION
Growth faltering during the first 1,000 days is a global public health problem, which is strongly associated with an increased risk of child mortality and poor developmental outcomes, as well as poor school performance and lower earning in later life.Prenatal and postnatal supplementation of mothers with multiple micronutrient-fortified balanced energy–protein (BEP) supplements is a potential nutritional intervention to prevent the high burden of growth retardation during this window of opportunity in low- and middle-income countries.However, the effect of providing pregnant and lactating women with BEP supplements on child growth is inconsistent to date. Hence, there is a critical need for high-quality experimental studies to assess the efficacy of BEP supplements on fetal and infant growth outcomes.