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 20-35years at 26-29weeks of gestation with pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI)<25.0kg/m(2) were randomized to the intervention (n=114), receiving MNS (252kcal/day) daily up to 12weeks 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 12weeks 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)<50th (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.