BRANCH (Breastfeeding counselling and management of growth faltering) trial

Overview

The World Health Organization (WHO) BRANCH (Breastfeeding counselling and management of growth faltering) Trial is a multi-centre, parallel-group, individually-randomized, non-blinded, controlled trial implemented in seven countries: three in Asia (Bangladesh, India and Pakistan) and four in Africa (Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda).

The overall aim of the trial is to determine, in infants who meet study criteria for growth faltering, the effect of intensive breastfeeding counselling and support (IBFCS) plus nutritional milk supplementation (NMS) compared with IBFCS alone on mortality, morbidity and growth at 6 completed months in low resource settings in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The primary objective is to determine the effect of NMS on wasting free survival (alive without wasting [weight for length standard deviation score [WFL z score] < - 2 standard deviations [sd]) at 6 completed months of age. The summary can be downloaded from the link below.

Contact. Dr. Karen Edmond, Scientist, Newborn and Child Health and Development Unit, World Health Organization, is leading trial activities. Contact details: Karen Edmond, edmondk@who.int, phone +41 22 791 21 11