A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of zinc supplementation during pregnancy for the prevention of stunting: analysis of maternal serum zinc, cord blood osteocalcin and neonatal birth length.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

Methods This study was conducted with pre-test/post-test control groups and double-blind randomization.

Patients were pregnant mothers in second or third trimester and with their newborns who met the inclusion criteria.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 35 patients taking part.

PubMed tags the participants as women only.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

Blinding on both sides kept the patients and researchers unaware of who received Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

Some patients received a placebo instead of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, giving a reference point.

What Was Measured

Methods This study was conducted with pre-test/post-test control groups and double-blind randomization.

The parameters assessed were maternal serum zinc levels, cord blood osteocalcin and birth length measurements.

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Dietary Supplements, Fetal Blood, Growth Disorders, Osteocalcin and Zinc.

The authors tagged it with the keywords bone growth, micronutrients, pre-post test design and pregnant.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 35 patients.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2021 (Medicinski glasnik : official publication of the Medical Association of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina), a journal based in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.