Table. Study characteristics of 20 included datasets.
| Setting | Primary study design | Study population | N (original cohort) |
N (analysed cohort for preterm/for SGA) |
NMR (deaths per 1000 livebirths) |
IMR (deaths per 1000 livebirths) |
Systematic follow-up period |
% LBW |
% preterm |
% SGA |
% facility delivery |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia | ||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||
| Bangladesh (2005)21 |
Rural Sylhet | Cluster RCT of community sepsis treatment |
Population-based recruitment of all pregnant women in study area |
10 585 | 10 585/10 550* | 31 | · · | 1 month | 30% | 19% | 50% | 6% |
| India (2000)26 |
Rural Tamil Nadu |
RCT of newborn vitamin A supplementation |
Population-based recruitment of all pregnant women in study area |
13 294 | 12 693/12 693* | 38 | · · | 6 months | 33% | 14% | 62% | 63% |
| Nepal (1999)22 |
Rural Sarlahi | Cluster RCT of multiple micronutrient supplementation |
Recruitment of all pregnant women in study area |
4130 | 4122/4094* | 42 | 67 | 1 year | 39% | 22% | 56% | 6% |
| Nepal (2003)25 |
Peri-urban/rural Dhanusha |
RCT of antenatal micronutrient supplementation |
Antenatal clinic- based recruitment of pregnant women in study area |
1106 | 1106/1052 | 25 | · · | 1 month | 22% | 7% | 53% | 53% |
| Nepal (2004)29 |
Rural Sarlahi | Cluster RCT of newborn skin-umbilical cord cleansing with chlorhexidine |
Population-based recruitment of all pregnant women in study area |
23 662 | 23 650/22 723* | 32 | · · | 6 months | 30% | 18% | 52% | 10% |
| Pakistan (2003)39 |
Rural Sindh | Cluster RCT of maternal micronutrient supplementation |
Population-based recruitment of all pregnant women in study villages |
1548 | 1464/1434 | 18 | · · | 1 month | 19% | 28% | 28% | 100% |
| Philippines (1983)20 |
Urban Cebu | Longitudinal health- nutritional survey of infant feeding patterns |
Population-based, random cluster sample of census |
3080 | 3050/2785 | 14 | 36 | 2 years | 11% | 18% | 25% | 34% |
| Thailand (2001)24 |
Urban Bangkok | Prospective follow-up of birth cohort |
Longitudinal birth cohort of all births in four districts |
4245 | 4032/3860 | 5 | 6 | 1 year | 8% | 9% | 22% | 99% |
|
| ||||||||||||
| Sub-Saharan Africa | ||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||
| Burkina Faso (2004)27 |
Rural Hounde | RCT of multiple micronutrient supplementation |
Prospective, community-based cohort |
1373 | 1311/1212* | 21 | 67 | 1 year | 17% | 16% | 35% | 77% |
| Burkina Faso (2006)36 |
Rural Hounde | RCT of maternal fortified food supplementation |
Prospective, community-based cohort |
1316 | 1261/1067 | 20 | · · | 1 month | 16% | 18% | 29% | 84% |
| South Africa (2004)34 |
Urban Soweto | RCT of birth canal and newborn skin cleansing with chlorhexidine |
Facility-based delivery, tertiary-care hospital |
8113 | 8113/8098 | 7 | · · | 1 month | 8% | 4% | 16% | 100% |
| Tanzania (1998)32 |
Rural Mwanza | Maternal syphilis treatment, observational cohort |
Facility-based recruitment; urban, antenatal clinics |
1496 | 1425/1172 | 16 | · · | 3 months | 10% | 3% | 25% | 98% |
| Tanzania (2001)23 |
Urban Dares Salaam |
RCT of mutivitamin supplementation |
Facility-based, antenatal clinics |
7752 | 7740/7557 | 28 | · · | 6 weeks | 8% | 17% | 20% | 97% |
| Tanzania (2008)38 |
Rural Korogwe | Observational malaria study |
Facility-based recruitment, antenatal clinics, community follow-up. |
915 | 820/731 | 33 | · · | 28 days | 11% | 5% | 22% | 88% |
| Uganda (2005)37 |
Rural Kabale district |
RCT intermittent preventive malaria therapy and insecticide-treated nets |
Facility-based recruitment ANC clinics; only include facility births |
1561 | 1553/1477 | 17 | · · | 1 month | 7% | 6% | 10% | 100% |
| Zimbabwe (1997)33,40 |
Urban Harare | RCT of maternal- neonatal vitamin A supplementation |
Facility-based recruitment, 14 maternity clinics and hospitals |
14 110 | 13 960/13 914 | 12† | 93 | 1 year | 14% | 8% | 33% | 100% |
|
| ||||||||||||
| Latin America | ||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||
| Brazil (1982)30 |
Urban Pelotas city, Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil |
Longitudinal birth cohort survey |
Population-based, all births in Pelotas hospitals (100% facility delivery) |
5914 | 4675/4670 | 11 | 28 | 1 year | 7% | 6% | 17% | 100% |
| Brazil (1993)31 |
Urban Pelotas city, Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil |
Longitudinal birth cohort survey |
Population-based, all births in Pelotas hospitals (100% facility delivery) |
5279 | 4707/4632 | 7 | 14 | 1 year | 9% | 11% | 19% | 100% |
| Brazil (2004)28 |
Urban Pelotas city, Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil |
Longitudinal birth cohort survey |
Population-based, all births in Pelotas hospitals (100% facility delivery) |
4287 | 3903/3837 | 10 | 17 | 1 year | 11% | 16% | 15% | 100% |
| Chile (2000)35 |
Chilean national birth registry |
Birth registry | Population-based registry |
1 901 611 | 1 89 8 250/ 1 898 250 |
5 | · · | 1 month | 6% | 7% | 7% | 98% |
RCT=randomised controlled trial. SGA=small for gestational age. NMR=neonatal mortality rate. IMR=infant mortality rate. LBW=low birthweight.
*
Weights imputed for datasets that met criteria described in appendix.
†
Enrolment of newborn babies occurred up to 96 h after birth, and the study might have missed neonatal deaths that happened before enrolment.