[The MINIMat study in Bangladesh: International research collaboration and research training with a perspective from foetus to future health].

In South Asia, maternal and child undernutrition is common with consequences for short- and long-term health. In the MINIMat trial (Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab) in Bangladesh 4436 pregnant women were allocated to early or later start of food supplements and different micronutrient alternatives. Children of mothers who received food supplementation from week 9 combined with multiple micronutrients showed a halved infant mortality rate. The early initiation of prenatal food supplementation reduced the risk of stunting up to five years and was associated with more favourable metabolic markers. The MINIMat study is run by icddr,b in Bangladesh and Uppsala University in collaboration with seven other universities. Twenty Ph.D. students have so far defended their theses and more than 100 scientific papers have been published.