Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Relative Bioavailability of Iron and Folic Acid From a New Powdered Supplement Compared to a Traditional Tablet in Pregnant Women
Brief Summary: Deficiencies of iron and folic acid during pregnancy can lead to adverse outcomes for the fetus, thus supplements are recommended. Adherence to current tablet-based supplements is documented to be poor. Recently a powdered form of micronutrients has been developed which may decrease side-effects and thus improve adherence. However, before testing the efficacy of the supplement as an alternate choice for supplementation during pregnancy, the bioavailability of the iron needs to be determined. The objective of this study is to measure the relative bioavailability of iron and folic acid from a powdered supplement that can be sprinkled on semi-solid foods or beverages versus a traditional tablet supplement in pregnant women.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Married women of reproductive age identified as a new pregnancy using a urine test

Exclusion Criteria:

* Menopausal or sterilized woman or currently already pregnant or breastfeeding an infant \<9 months of age
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Healthy pregnant women between 18 and 45 years of age in the second or third trimester of pregnancy (24-32 weeks of gestational age).
* Normal Hb (Hb≥110g/L and Hb≤144g/L)

Exclusion Criteria:

Chronic illness (clinically significant neurological, endocrine, cardiovascular, pulmonary, hematologic, immunologic, psychiatric or metabolic diseases)

* A history or presence of hemosiderosis, hemochromatosis, peptic ulcer, regional enteritis, ulcerative colitis
* A history of or current use of IV iron therapy or erythropoietin therapy
* A history or presence of any clinically significant gastrointestinal pathology (eg. chronic diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, partial gastrectomy), unresolved gastrointestinal symptoms (eg. diarrhea or vomiting), steatorrhea, or other conditions known to interfere with the absorption, distribution, metabolism or excretion of iron or folic acid
* Abnormal hemoglobin electrophoresis ie. sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, etc.
* Current acute illness and/or taking antibiotics
* Known or suspected allergies to Materna®, or any ingredient present in Materna or SuppleFem Sprinkles or any of the foods to be consumed during the trial.
* Mildly to severely anemic women (Hb\<110 g/L) or elevated hemoglobin (above 144g/L)
* Complications in pregnancy (including pregnancy induced hypertension, preeclampsia, a history of severe antepartum hemorrhage)
* Blood transfusion within last 3 months
C: Inclusion Criteria:

Women were eligible if they were:

* Married
* Nulliparous
* \< 40 years old
* Living in the same household as their husband

Exclusion Criteria:

Women were excluded if they were:

* Pregnant at enrollment
* Planning to move out of the region
* Using iron supplements within the previous 3 months
* Using an implant form of birth control, or had surgery to prevent pregnancy
* Women with a Hb concentration of \< 70 g/L, defined as severely anemic according to WHO definition (5), were excluded from the study and appropriately treated
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant subjects (15-35 yrs): non-smoking,healthy with uncomplicated pregnancies at time of enrollment
* Non-pregnant subjects (18-35 yrs): healthy, non-smoking, not taking vitamin or mineral supplements and not planning on becoming pregnant during course of study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant subjects: gestational diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, underlying malabsorption diseases or other diagnosed medical problems known to impact iron homeostasis
* Non-pregnant subjects: underlying malabsorption diseases or other diagnosed medical problems known to impact iron homeostasis.

Answer: B