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 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 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 lower-income countries extra protein and calorie supplements might cut the chance of babies being born dead by about 60%. While the results look promising, researchers note that more high-quality studies are needed to be completely sure.