Field Stories
Sumedang shines: Exploring stunting reduction in Indonesia
December 15, 2023
This paper examines the effects of weekly micronutrient supplements containing multiple micronutrients, iron and folic acid, or only folic acid when provided to women or reproductive age before conception, on maternal mental health outcomes during pregnancy and postpartum in rural Vietnam.
To assess this, data from PRECONCEPT, a double blind control trial with 5011 Vietnamese women was used. The women were randomized to receive weekly supplements containing either a) multiple micronutrients (MM) b) iron and folic acid or c) folic acid until conception. Maternal mental health was assessed at baseline, during pregnancy and 3 months postpartum.
Weekly preconception micronutrient supplements containing iron did not improve depression measures relative to folic acid alone among all women but may have benefitted women who were at risk for depression.