Micronutrient needs of breastfeeding mothers

2024 Micronutrients And Breastfeeding

Understanding micronutrient supplementation during breastfeeding

While previous studies have investigated micronutrient supplementation for maternal nutrition, little is known about how it impacts maternal health and wellbeing during breastfeeding, particularly over several reproductive cycles. How micronutrient supplementation during breastfeeding may benefit – or pose risks – to infant health is also unclear.

For these reasons, the Family Larsson-Rosenquist Foundation (FLRF) and the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Consortium launched the 'Lactation and Micronutrient Needs' project in 2024. They aimed to gather information that is urgently needed to prioritize, design and initiate research intervention programs for improving maternal nutrition, and thus the health of both mother and infant.


What they discovered

Working together, scientists and practitioners systematically assessed current expertise to create a lay of land. A scoping review of 180 single or multiple micronutrient supplementation studies revealed that only 19 focused on the form of multiple micronutrient supplementation and out of that, 10 focused on the lactation period, while another nine focused on the combined pregnancy and lactation period. Enormous knowledge gaps emerged:

  • There is no consensus on what ‘healthy’ actually means for mothers.

  • Very little is known about the impact of MMS for women and mothers in general, and especially in the critical period during or after lactation.

The partners concluded that further research is needed to explore these gaps. Ultimately, they see potential to develop recommendations to support lactating mothers with their micronutrient requirements during the ‘first 1,000 days’ from conception until a child reaches two years of age.


Background - original project objectives and plans

  • Identify health reference indicators for maternal health and nutritional status, and infant health and safety.

  • Search for and assess the current state of knowledge about multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) and/or single micronutrient supplementation on maternal health during the breastfeeding period, and its safety and benefits for mother and child.

  • Based on the above outcomes, reach consensus on knowledge gaps and future research priorities.


Project partner and principal investigator

Dr. Martha Mwangome as project lead, together with support from the Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Consortium.

Working together, scientists and practitioners will systematically assess current expertise to create a comprehensive lay of land. From the knowledge they capture, the partners will develop recommendations to support lactating mothers with their micronutrient requirements.


The 'Lactation and Micronutrient Needs' project was completed in 2025.

Are you interested in learning more? Please contact FLRF at info@larsson-rosenquist.org