Researchers in Rwanda are testing whether pregnant women who eat two eggs every day will have healthier, bigger babies. This study, called Deux Oeufs (which means “two eggs” in French), will follow nearly 1,000 pregnant women through their pregnancies and track their babies’ growth for six months after birth. Some women will eat two eggs daily while pregnant, and others will eat their normal diet. Scientists want to see if eggs—which are packed with nutrients—can help babies grow stronger and develop better during those critical first months of life.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether eating two eggs every day during pregnancy helps babies grow bigger and healthier compared to eating a regular diet.
  • Who participated: 956 pregnant women from Nyagatare District in Rwanda, starting from their first three months of pregnancy through delivery. All women received standard prenatal care and health support from the government.
  • Key finding: This is a study plan, not yet completed results. Researchers will measure baby length at birth and track growth for six months to see if the egg-eating group has better outcomes than the regular diet group.
  • What it means for you: If eggs prove helpful, it could be a simple, affordable way for pregnant women in developing countries to improve their babies’ health. However, we need to wait for the actual results before making any recommendations. This research may eventually help guide pregnancy nutrition advice worldwide.

The Research Details

This is a randomized controlled trial, which is considered the gold standard for testing whether something actually works. Researchers will randomly assign 956 pregnant women in Rwanda into two groups: one group eats two eggs daily throughout their pregnancy (with a staff member watching to make sure they eat them), and the other group continues eating whatever they normally eat. Both groups receive the same prenatal care and support from the government, plus a food supplement to ensure fair comparison. By keeping everything else the same and only changing the egg consumption, scientists can see if eggs specifically make a difference.

The study started enrolling women in May 2024 and will follow them from early pregnancy through six months after their babies are born. Researchers will measure many things: how big the babies are at birth, how fast they grow, how well they develop, and how healthy the mothers stay during and after pregnancy.

This careful approach is important because it helps prove cause-and-effect. Without a control group eating a regular diet, scientists couldn’t tell if eggs helped or if other factors were responsible for any improvements.

The first 1,000 days of a child’s life—from conception through age two—are when the brain and body develop fastest. What a mother eats during pregnancy directly affects her baby’s growth and development. Eggs are nutritious and affordable, making them a practical option for improving nutrition in countries where many people don’t get enough protein and important vitamins. This study will provide real evidence about whether this simple intervention actually works, which could help governments and health organizations make better nutrition recommendations for pregnant women.

This study has several strengths: it’s a randomized controlled trial (the most reliable type of study), it has a large sample size (956 women), researchers will directly observe women eating eggs (ensuring compliance), and it includes multiple measurements over time. The study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, which means it’s transparent and follows international standards. However, this is a study protocol (the plan), not yet completed research, so we don’t have actual results yet. The study is being conducted in one specific region of Rwanda, so results may not apply equally to all populations worldwide.

What the Results Show

Results are not yet available. This document describes the study plan before data collection is complete. The main outcome researchers will measure is baby length-for-age z-score at birth, which is a standardized way of comparing how long babies are compared to healthy growth standards. A higher score means babies are growing better relative to their age.

When the study is finished, researchers will compare the average length-for-age scores between babies whose mothers ate two eggs daily and babies whose mothers ate their regular diet. They’ll use statistical tests to determine if any differences are real or just due to chance.

The study will also track secondary outcomes, meaning other important health measures. These include how much weight mothers gain, their blood pressure, whether they develop pregnancy complications, how long babies are at birth, how much they weigh, how quickly they grow in the first six months, and early signs of development like reaching developmental milestones.

Beyond baby length, researchers will examine maternal health during pregnancy (like blood pressure and nutritional status), birth weight and length, how quickly babies gain weight in the first six months, and early developmental progress. They’ll also look at whether the egg intervention affects mothers’ health after delivery. These additional measurements help paint a complete picture of whether eggs benefit both mother and baby.

Previous research suggests that eating animal-source foods like eggs, meat, and dairy during childhood may help children grow better. However, very little research has tested whether eating eggs specifically during pregnancy improves birth outcomes. This study fills an important gap by being the first rigorous test of daily egg consumption during pregnancy. The findings will either support or challenge the assumption that prenatal egg supplementation helps, providing much-needed evidence for this specific intervention.

This study is conducted only in one district of Rwanda, so results may not apply to all pregnant women everywhere, especially in different countries or climates. The study focuses on women who enroll early in pregnancy, so it may not represent women who seek prenatal care later. Additionally, eggs are just one food, so the benefits might be different for women with different overall diets or nutritional status. The study doesn’t test different amounts of eggs (only two per day), so we won’t know if more or fewer eggs might work better. Finally, because this is a study protocol, we’re waiting for actual results to see what happens.

The Bottom Line

Wait for study results before making changes. This research is still ongoing and hasn’t produced findings yet. Once completed, if eggs prove beneficial, pregnant women in resource-limited settings may be advised to eat eggs daily. For now, pregnant women should follow their doctor’s prenatal nutrition advice and eat a balanced diet with adequate protein from whatever sources are available and affordable. (Confidence level: Pending—no results yet)

Pregnant women and their healthcare providers should care about this research, especially in countries where malnutrition affects pregnancy outcomes. Public health officials and policymakers should follow these results to update nutrition guidelines. Parents and educators interested in child development should also pay attention. However, this research is specifically about pregnancy nutrition, so it doesn’t directly apply to non-pregnant people or children who are already born.

The study began enrolling women in May 2024 and will follow participants through six months after birth. Full results likely won’t be available until 2026 or later. If eggs do help, benefits would appear gradually—babies would be measured at birth, six weeks, and six months to track growth over time. Any real improvements in growth would likely become visible within the first six months of life.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Once results are available, pregnant women could track daily egg consumption using a simple counter (eggs eaten per day) and pair it with prenatal weight gain and ultrasound measurements from their doctor to monitor if they’re on track for healthy pregnancy outcomes.
  • If this study shows positive results, users could set a daily reminder to eat one or two eggs and log their consumption. They could also track related nutrition metrics like protein intake and prenatal vitamin use to build a comprehensive nutrition picture during pregnancy.
  • Long-term tracking would involve logging egg consumption throughout pregnancy, recording prenatal care measurements (weight, blood pressure), and after birth, tracking baby growth metrics (length, weight) at key checkpoints (birth, 6 weeks, 6 months) to see if the pattern matches study findings.

This article describes a research study protocol, not completed results. Pregnant women should not change their diet based on this study plan alone. Always consult with your healthcare provider or obstetrician before making dietary changes during pregnancy. This research is ongoing and results are not yet available. Individual nutritional needs vary based on health status, allergies, and cultural preferences. If you have questions about egg consumption during pregnancy, discuss them with your prenatal care team. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional medical advice.