Table 1 Demographics and baseline characteristics of study participants and comparisons between intervention group, placebo group and control group
Variables | Intervention group (n = 45) | Placebo group (n = 45) | Control group (n = 39) | P—value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Maternal age (year), (Mean ± SD) | 30.72 ± 6.64 | 29.83 ± 6.99 | 32.29 ± 6.69 | 0.594 |
Maternal BMI (kg/m2), (Mean ± SD) | 30.1 ± 24.79 | 30.1 ± 01.49 | 29.1 ± 81.85 | 0.479 |
Maternal education, n (%) | ||||
 Elementary | 17 (34) | 11 (16.3) | 15 (32.6) | 0.22 |
 Secondary | 11 (22) | 21 (42.9) | 17 (37) | |
 High school | 14 (28) | 13 (26.5) | 10 (21.7) | |
 University | 8 (16) | 7 (14.3) | 4 (8.7) | |
Maternal occupation, n (%) | ||||
 Housewife | 37 (74) | 40 (81.6) | 37 (80.4) | 0.61 |
 Employed | 13 (26) | 9 (18.4) | 9 (19.6) | |
Pregnancy planned, n (%) | ||||
 Yes | 40 (80) | 43 (87.8) | 39 (84.8) | 0.567 |
 No | 10 (20) | 6 (12.2) | 7 (15.2) | |
Number of previous births (Mean ± SD) | ||||
 1 | 25 (50) | 30 (61.2) | 22 (7.8) | 0.504 |
 2 | 12 (24) | 12 (24.5) | 11 (23.9) | |
  > 3 | 13 (26) | 7 (14.3) | 13 (28.3) | |
Mode of birth, n (%) | ||||
 Vaginal birth | 42 (84) | 45 (91.8) | 44 (95.7) | 0.151 |
 Birth via caesarean section | 8 (16) | 4 (8.2) | 2 (4.3) | |
Maternal chronic diseases, n (%) | ||||
 Yes | 14 (28) | 7 (14.3) | 13 (28.3) | 0.108 |
 No | 36 (72) | 42 (85.7) | 40 (87) | |
Maternal drug use during pregnancy, n (%) | ||||
 Yes | 13 (26) | 7 (14.3) | 6 (13) | 0.183 |
 No | 37 (74) | 42 (85.7) | 40 (87) | |
Maternal use of iron and complementary drugs, n (%) | ||||
 Yes | 35 (70) | 37 (75.5) | 37 (80.4) | 0.496 |
 No | 15 (30) | 12 (24.5) | 9 (19.6) | |
Maternal use of steroids, n (%) | ||||
 Yes | 50 (100) | 47 (95.9) | 44 (95.7) | 0.338 |
 No | 0 (0) | 2 (4.1) | 2 (4.3) | |
Paternal occupation, n (%) | ||||
 Employee | 7 (14) | 10 (20.4) | 12 (26.1) | 0.418 |
 Manual worker | 9 (18) | 13 (26.5) | 10 (21.7) | |
 Self- employed | 34 (68) | 26 (53.1) | 24 (52.2) | |
Paternal education, n (%) | ||||
 Elementary | 3 (6) | 5 (10.2) | 5 (10.9) | 0.539 |
 Secondary | 22 (44) | 22 (44.9) | 16 (34.8) | |
 High school | 19 (38) | 17 (34.7) | 14 (30.4) | |
 University | 6 (12) | 5 (10.2) | 11 (23.9) | |
Economic status of the family, n (%) | ||||
 Desirable | 8 (16) | 3 (6.1) | 6 (13) | 0.287 |
 Relatively | 41 (82) | 41 (83.7) | 37 (80.4) | |
 undesirable | 1 (2) | 5 (10.2) | 3 (6.6) | |
Infant's weight, (gr)(Mean ± SD) | 1245.146 ± 22.84 | 1245.147 ± 42.08 | 1199.146 ± 45.8 | 0.22 |
Infant's Height, (cm)(Mean ± SD) | 39.1 ± 5.58 | 39.1 ± 63.69 | 38.1 ± 97.48 | 0.111 |
Head circumference of infant, (cm)(Mean ± SD) | 29.1 ± 5.97 | 29.2 ± 65.06 | 29.1 ± 6.86 | 0.327 |
Gestational age at birth, (wk) (Mean ± SD) | 30.0 ± 1.83 | 30.0 ± 21.91 | 29.0 ± 92.96 | 0.229 |
Neonatal age upon entry to the study, (wk) (Mean ± SD) | 8.67 ± 4.94 | 8.50 ± 5.26 | 8.73 ± 4.15 | 0.407 |
Infant sex observed at birth, n (%) | ||||
 Male | 21 (42) | 15 (30.6) | 18 (39.1) | 0.478 |
 Female | 29 (58) | 34 (69.4) | 28 (60.9) | |
Cause of infant hospitalization, n (%) | ||||
 IUGR | ||||
  yes | 8 (16) | 7 (14.3) | 14 (30.4) | 0.099 |
  no | 42 (84) | 42 (85.7) | 32 (69.6) | |
 PDA | ||||
  yes | 6 (12) | 7 (14.3) | 10 (21.7) | 0.398 |
  no | 44 (88) | 42 (85.7) | 36 (78.3) | |
 IVH < 3 | ||||
  yes | 15 (30) | 14 (28.6) | 12 (26.1) | 0.912 |
  no | 35 (70) | 35 (71.4) | 34 (73.9) | |
Type of infant feeding, n (%) | ||||
 Nasogastric tube | 12 (24) | 12 (24.5) | 15 (32.6) | 0.571 |
 Orogastric tube | 38 (76) | 37 (75.5) | 31 (67.4) | |
Type of serum injected into the infant, n (%) | ||||
 D.W 5% | 35 (70) | 35 (71.4) | 30 (65.2) | 0.968 |
 D.W 7.5% | 11 (22) | 10 (20.4) | 11 (23.9) | |
 D.W 10% | 4 (8) | 4 (8.2) | 5 (8.2) | |