Micronutrient supplementation affects maternal-infant feeding interactions and maternal distress in Bangladesh

Good maternal-infant interaction is essential for optimal infant growth, health, and development. Although micronutrient malnutrition has been associated with poorer interaction, the effects of maternal micronutrient supplementation on interaction are unknown.

We examined differences in maternal-infant feeding interaction between 3 maternal pre- and postpartum micronutrient supplementation groups that differed in iron dose and inclusion of multiple micronutrients and determined whether any differences observed were mediated by maternal distress.

A cohort of 180 pregnant women was selected from 3300 women in the randomized controlled trial Maternal Infant Nutritional Interventions Matlab, which was conducted in Matlab, Bangladesh. At 8 wk of gestation, women were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups to receive a daily supplement of micronutrients (14 wk gestation to 12 wk postpartum): 60 or 30 mg Fe each with 400 microg folic acid or multiple micronutrients (MuMS; 30 mg Fe, 400 microg folic acid, and other micronutrients). A maternal-infant feeding interaction was observed in the home when infants were 3.4-4.0 mo of age, and maternal distress was assessed.

Compared with 30 mg Fe, 60 mg Fe decreased the quality of maternal-infant feeding interaction by approximately 10%. Compared with 30 mg Fe, MuMS did not improve interaction but reduced maternal early postpartum distress. Distress did not mediate the effects of micronutrient supplementation on interaction.

For pregnant and postpartum women, micronutrient supplementation should be based on both nutritional variables (eg, iron status) and functional outcomes (eg, maternal-infant interaction and maternal distress).