Impact of maternal nutritional supplementation in conjunction with a breastfeeding support program on breastfeeding performance,birth, and growth outcomes in a Vietnamese population

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal nutritional supplementation (MNS) in conjunction with a breastfeeding support program on birth outcomes and breastfeeding performance.

Methods: A total of 228 singleton Vietnamese mothers aged 20–35?years at 26–29?weeks of gestation with pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI)?2 were randomized to the intervention (n?=?114), receiving MNS (252?kcal/day) daily up to 12?weeks postpartum and four breastfeeding education and support sessions or to the control (n?=?114), receiving standards of care.

Results: The intervention was 2.09 times more likely to exclusively breastfeed over the 12?weeks than the control (95%CI: 1.05–4.13, p?=?.0358), after controlling for potential confounders. Infant’s breast milk intake was significantly higher in the intervention than the control among mothers with baseline mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)?p?=?.0251). Infants in the intervention had significantly higher birth weight (p?=?.0312), birth weight-for-age (p?=?.0141) and birth head circumference-for-age (p?=?.0487), and higher head circumference-for-age z-score (p?=?.0183) development over the postnatal period, compared with the control.

Conclusions: Use of MNS and breastfeeding support improve birth outcomes and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) rate in Vietnamese mothers. Additionally, it promotes breast milk production among mothers with lower baseline MUAC.