Executive Summary : | India's economic growth has been one of the fastest in the world over the last decade, and it is crucial to improve the nutritional and health status of its population. Nearly 30% of newborns in India are low birth weight (LBW)/preterm, contributing to over 40% of the global burden and causing a significant number of neonatal deaths. Most of these babies are small for gestational age (SGA) babies, making them the biggest target to reduce neonatal mortality. Maternal malnutrition is a significant cause of SGA babies in India, with nutrients like iron, zinc, folic acid, vitamin D, B12, and magnesium playing a crucial role in determining neonatal outcomes. Antenatal multiple micronutrient supplement use has emerged as an important public health intervention for women in low-income countries, but more research is needed to determine the social, demographic, and nutritional factors of parents and multi-nutrient levels in the mother associated with the birth of SGA babies admitted in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). The main experiment will involve enrolling 500 SGA babies (cases) and 500 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) babies (controls) in the NICU over a period of 3 years. A detailed demographic, educational, and socioeconomic history will be taken for both parents, as well as a detailed obstetric and antenatal history from the mother. Serum levels of ferritin, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, magnesium, and micronutrients like vitamin D, vitamin B12, folic acid, and phosphorus will be estimated in the mothers of both cases and controls. |
Co-PI: | Dr. Usha Dudeja Bindal, Postgraduate Institute Of Child Health,S Noida, Uttar Pradesh-201303, Dr. Vernika Tyagi, Postgraduate Institute Of Child Health,S Noida, Uttar Pradesh-201303, Dr. Dharmendra Kumar Singh, Postgraduate Institute Of Child Health,S Noida, Uttar Pradesh-201303, Dr. Bhanu Kiran Bhakhri, Postgraduate Institute Of Child Health,S Noida, Uttar Pradesh-201303 |