Pregnancy
Conditions
Keywords
Pregnancy, Calcium, Supplements
Brief summary
The SickKids-led research team is currently developing a prenatal micronutrient powder that will contain calcium, iron, and folic acid with different absorption characteristics. Once the powder is developed, it can be incorporated into various oral delivery vehicles. The overall effectiveness of a micronutrient program is highly dependent on the acceptance and regular consumption of supplements (i.e., adherence) by the targeted users. This is a study of the preference, acceptability, and palatability of 4 alternative delivery vehicles for the innovative prenatal multiple micronutrient supplement: traditional tablets, oral disintegrating tablets, unflavoured powder with a suspension agent, and flavoured powder with a suspension agent. This study will be conducted in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study hypothesizes that that the formulation of the delivery vehicle will impact preference, acceptability, and palatability.
Interventions
DRUGTraditional Tablet
The traditional tablets will be swallowed with liquid. Each tablet will contain 500 mg of calcium (as calcium carbonate), thus participants will be asked to take 3 per day.. Participants will be asked to take the tablets with a liquid of their choosing with a meal. Traditional tablets will function as a control in this study, as they represent what is widely available on the market in Bangladesh.
DRUGChewable tablets
Chewable tablets are chewed in the absence of additional water. Each chewable tablet will contain 300 mg of calcium (as calcium carbonate), thus participants will be asked to take 5 per day. Participants will be asked to consume the chewable tablets with a meal.
DRUGUnflavoured Powder
The unflavoured powder with suspension agent will be tasteless and consumed by either adding it to a semi-solid food or drink of one's choosing. Appropriate foods for mixing with the powder will be at the discretion of the participants. This vehicle was selected on the basis that it would be easy to swallow, given the nausea associated with pregnancy. A similar product is Sprinkles, a multiple micronutrient powder developed at SickKids by Dr. Zlotkin.
DRUGFlavoured Powder
The flavoured powder with suspension agent will be consumed by adding it to clean water with a meal. This vehicle was also selected on the basis that it would be easy to swallow, given the nausea associated with pregnancy. Similar products include oral rehydration salts or artificial juice flavour crystals.
Sponsors
The Sprinkles Global Health Initiative
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh
The Hospital for Sick Children
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Pregnant women ages 18 to \< 40 years * Gestational age of 13-30 completed weeks, estimated based on the recalled first day of the last menstrual period (LMP) * Current residence in Dhaka at a fixed address * Plan to remain in Dhaka for the duration of the study
Exclusion criteria
* Reported complications of current pregnancy * Complicated medical or obstetric history that may increase the risk of preterm birth or prenatal complications, based on self-report * Moderate or severe anaemia (hemoglobin \< 90 g/L, accessed with Hemocue)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency of Consumption of the Calcium Vehicle | Change from Baseline in Consumption of the Calcium Vehicle at day 22 | Consumption of the delivery vehicles will be measured during the once-weekly interactions with the research assistants in two ways: (1) by self-report from study participants; and (2) by counting the number of missing doses from those provided in the weekly supply. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptability | Day 1, Day 9, Day 16, Day 22 | Measured by colour, preparation, administration. |
| Ease of Use | Day 1, Day 9, Day 16, Day 22 | Measured by size and ease of swallowing. |
| Patibility | Day 1, Day 9, Day 16, Day 22 | Measured by taste, texture, aftertaste, and odour. |
Countries
Bangladesh, Canada
Outcome results
None listed