Giving pregnant women a special balanced supplement with extra energy and protein instead of just iron and folic acid can lower the chance of having a small baby by about 4%. This helps keep newborns healthier and gives them a better start in life, especially in areas where food might be scarce.

Giving pregnant women extra energy and protein supplements doesn't make their babies too big or cause serious pregnancy problems like miscarriage or stillbirth. In fact, it's just as safe as the usual iron and folic acid pills that pregnant women are already taking.

Giving pregnant women in low-income areas a daily balanced energy and protein supplement, instead of just iron and folic acid, helps their babies be born about 50 grams heavier. This small but important weight gain can help prevent babies from being too small at birth.

Giving pregnant women extra energy and protein supplements doesn't actually lower the chance of having a smaller-than-expected baby compared to just taking standard iron and folic acid pills. The study found the difference was too small to be meaningful, meaning this specific supplement isn't a reliable way to prevent babies from being born too small.

Giving pregnant women in developing countries extra protein and energy supplements doesn't seem to change how often babies are born too early or die shortly after birth. While it might help the baby grow better and prevent stillbirths, it doesn't change when the baby is born or save newborns from dying.

Giving pregnant women in rural areas a daily supplement with extra energy and protein can help them carry their babies about 1.4 days longer than just taking iron and folic acid. This extra time in the womb helps the baby's organs develop better and might lower the chances of the baby being born too small.