Effects of Moringa oleifera leaf powder supplementation in pregnant mothers on maternal and birth outcomes.

This is an intervention study about providing Moringa oleifera (MO) leaf powder capsules to the pregnant mothers. Study location was in Tamalatea sub-district, Jeneponto districts, South Sulawesi. It takes three hours by car from Makassar city, the capital city of South Sulawesi, to the study location. The subjects were pregnant mothers in the early third semester. First, pregnant mothers were measured for hemoglobin level by trained field workers. Then, mothers with anemia were taken into the study. Anemia was defined using WHO category which is less than 11mg/dl. For ethical reason, we took only those who had haemoglobin level between 10-11mg/dl. Measurements were performed before and after treatment for anthropometric, food intakes, stress status, and cortisol concentration in blood. Mothers were randomly divided into two groups based on order on enrolment; group received two capsules (each 500mg) of MO twice a days (MG, n=19) and group received two similar capsule (contained 60mg iron/30ug folic acid) (IG, n=19). The groups were categorized A and B but it was blinded to the field investigators which group contained MO or Iron/folic acid. Intervention was done for eight weeks. The field workers distributed the capsule every week and asking the empty bottle prior to giving the next bottle. Mothers were controlled for their capsule consumption by sending short massages or called by the field workers. The short message was sent first in the morning and second in the afternoon. The content of the short message was to remind mothers to take the capsule and they have to reply that they had taken it. The sentence in the morning was "Have you consumed the capsule this morning?" while the sentence in the afternoon was "Have you consumed the capsule this afternoon?" Most of the mothers replied directly to the short message at the same day (both morning and afternoon). When there were no reply of the short message from the mothers, the field workers gave a call. In general, the call was done only once at the afternoon. At birth, mothers were weight together with their babies.