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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Currently, the World Health Organization recommends iron-folic acid supplements to pregnant women. New research recommends that a prenatal multimicronutrient may also offer increased benefits to a baby, lowering the risk of low birth weight.
The most common cause of global infant mortality under the age of 5 years old is low birth weight and related complications. The studys authors, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Ontario, believe micronutrient supplementation may reduce low birth rates by 17 percent. If all mothers receive a prenatal multimicronutient, authors suggest that of 133 million births worldwide annually, 1.5 million babies born with a low birth rate could be avoided. These statistics are drawn from a combination of 15 global studies.
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Experts say future research with stronger variability is needed to confirm the results. The included studies shared common aspects, including timing, duration, composition of micronutrients and characteristics of the study populations.
SOURCE: Canadian Medical Association Journal, June 9, 2009
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