Low birth weight (LBW; birth weight<2,500g) is the most important determinant of mortality and morbidity in the neonatal period. It is also a very important factor in predicting nutritional status, health and development in childhood. It even influences health in adult life, contributing to the vicious cycle of disease and poverty. The high rate LBW in DCs represents therefore a major public health problem. Maternal chronic energy deficiency is assumed to be a major determinant of the problem in these countries along with prenatal micronutrient deficiencies. A large body of recent evidence points out that multiple micronutrient supplementation as such has only a modest beneficial effect on fetal growth. Therefore, it is expected that providing these multiple micronutrients in a food supplement covering energy requirement needs of pregnant women will have an effect of public health importance on children's health.