The Summit Study

The SUMMIT

 

The SUMMIT was a large scale randomized controlled trial managed through the Helen Keller International Indonesia. The trial was conducted in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia with the goal to reduce maternal and infant death in the context of routine prenatal care. The study enrolled nearly 42000 pregnant women and employed around 500 field staff from 2001-2004. The results of the trial showed that providing multiple micronutrient supplement to pregnant women will reduce the risk of infant mortality by nearly 20% compared to providing iron-folate only (see publication). This protective effect is nearly double in anemic women (Supplementation with Multiple Micronutrients Intervention Trial (SUMMIT) Study Group, 2008). Multiple micronutrient impact on mortality was more prominent when good quality of care was implemented in the field (Shankar, 2009). The results indicated that health can be improved by enhancing routine prenatal care with participatory approaches and evidence-based decisions. Multiple micronutrient supplements also reduced the risk of low birthweight especially in better nourished women (Sebayang, 2011) and anemic women (Supplementation with Multiple Micronutrients Intervention Trial (SUMMIT) Study Group, 2008). When the children were 3 years old, we saw cognitive improvements when their mothers were given multiple micronutrient supplements during pregnancy (Prado, 2012).

 

The SUMMIT was supported by funds from the Turner Foundation, the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Fund, the Centre for Health and Human Development and the United States Agency for International Development-Indonesia through Helen Keller International-Indonesia.

 

For downloadable documents please go to Publications.