Provision of Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements Increases Plasma Selenium Concentration in Pregnant Women in Malawi: A Secondary Outcome of a Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundPregnant women in Malawi are at risk of selenium deficiency, which can have adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes. Interventions for improving selenium status are needed.ObjectivesTo assess the effect of provision of small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) to Malawian women during pregnancy on their plasma selenium concentrations at 36 wk of gestation.MethodsPregnant women (≤20 wk of gestation) were randomly assigned to receive daily either: 1) iron and folic acid (IFA); 2) multiple micronutrients (MMN; 130µg selenium per capsule); or 3) SQ-LNS (130µg selenium/20g). Plasma selenium concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry at baseline and after ≥16 wk of intervention (at 36 wk of gestation) and compared by intervention group.ResultsAt 36 wk of gestation, median (quartile 1, quartile 3) plasma selenium concentrations (micromoles per liter) were 0.96 (0.73, 1.23), 0.94 (0.78, 1.18), and 1.01 (0.85, 1.28) in the IFA, MMN, and SQ-LNS groups, respectively. Geometric mean (GM) plasma selenium concentration was 5.4% (95% CI: 1.8%, 9.0%) higher in the SQ-LNS group than in the MMN group and tended to be higher than in the IFA group (+4.2%; 95% CI: 1.0%, 7.8%). The prevalence of adjusted plasma selenium concentrations&nbsp