Prenatal Micronutrient Supplementation and Intellectual and Motor Function in Early School-aged Children in Nepal

“Prenatal Micronutrient Supplementation and Intellectual and Motor functions in Early School-aged Children in Nepal”
(JAMA, December 22/29, 2010—Vol 304, No. 24)
Dissemination of the study
What is the rationale behind this study?
The rationale behind the study was to evaluate the effects of zinc and iron supplementation on the development of intellectual and motor skills in children, whose mothers were supplemented with such micronutrients during the gestational period. Micronutrients are essential for the growth and development of an individual. Micronutrients are so called because they are required in trace amounts in the daily diet. However, they perform important roles in the synthesis of haemoglobin and repair of tissues.
Very few studies have examined the effects of Iron and Zinc supplementation during the gestational period to mothers, on the future development of cognitive skills in their children. Data from primates suggested that a decreased supply of such micronutrients resulted in 20% cognitive deficits. 2) What were the objectives of this research?
The objectives of this research were to assess the intellectual and motor skills in children, whose mothers were supplemented with the essential micronutrients Iron and Zinc, during the gestational period. Pregnancy is a condition which demands resource utilization between a mother and their child. Micronutrient deficiency can o…