The Study
Effect of multiple micronutrient supplements v. iron and folic acid supplements on neonatal mortality: a reanalysis by iron dose
This study looked at lots of past experiments where pregnant women took different vitamin pills and checked if their babies were more likely to die right after birth. It found no clear difference between the pills, but it’s not 100% sure — the results are close enough that a small difference might still exist.
Analysis score
Maximum 100 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
Scientists checked if giving pregnant women extra vitamins (MMS) instead of just iron and folic acid (IFA) changed how many babies died at birth.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 556 / 100
Quality score
The highest quality evidence. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that pool randomized controlled trials, giving the most reliable summary of experimental evidence.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1No, the difference is too small to matter—babies are just as likely to survive whether moms take MMS or IFA, even if the iron dose is cut in half.
- 2When comparing MMS with 30 mg iron to IFA with 60 mg iron, 1.12 times as many babies died in the MMS group—but this difference wasn't real (95% CI: 0.83–1.50).
- 3Overall, both types of supplements led to nearly the same number of baby deaths.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Public Health Nutrition
Year
2022
Authors
F. Gomes, Rina Agustina, R. Black, P. Christian, K. Dewey, K. Kraemer, A. Shankar, Emily R. Smith, A. Tumilowicz, M. Bourassa
Related Content
Claims (4)
Pregnant women who take multiple micronutrient supplements instead of iron-folic acid supplements have the same rate of newborn deaths.
When pregnant women take antenatal supplements with 60 mg of iron, neonatal mortality rates are the same whether they take multiple micronutrient supplements or iron-folic acid supplements.
Taking multiple micronutrient supplements during pregnancy does not result in a different rate of newborn deaths compared to taking only iron and folic acid supplements, no matter how much iron is included.
Prenatal supplements with 30 mg of iron result in the same rate of newborn deaths as prenatal supplements with 60 mg of iron.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.