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Effect of vitamin A supplementation on haemoglobin and vitamin A levels during pregnancy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Meena Panth ,
Veena Shatrugna ,
P. Yasodhara  and
B. Sivakumar
Meena Panth
Affiliation:
Nutrition Department, School of Biochemical and Physiological Sciences, Medical and Biological Sciences Building, Southampton University, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton S09 3TU
Veena Shatrugna
Affiliation:
Nutrition Department, School of Biochemical and Physiological Sciences, Medical and Biological Sciences Building, Southampton University, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton S09 3TU
P. Yasodhara
Affiliation:
Nutrition Department, School of Biochemical and Physiological Sciences, Medical and Biological Sciences Building, Southampton University, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton S09 3TU
B. Sivakumar
Affiliation:
Nutrition Department, School of Biochemical and Physiological Sciences, Medical and Biological Sciences Building, Southampton University, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton S09 3TU
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Abstract

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About 450 pregnant women from a low-income group were recruited to study the effect of vitamin A supplementation on plasma vitamin A levels in the mother and cord and on the birth weights of the neonates. Results showed that supplementation with 1800 μg vitamin A/d for more than 12 weeks prevented the decline in plasma vitamin A that otherwise occurs during the last few weeks of pregnancy. This improvement in maternal values for vitamin A at a critical time of development favourably affected availability to the fetus, as reflected by the marked elevation in cord levels. Supplementation for a period of 12 weeks was found to be sufficient, since subsequent discontinuation did not alter the beneficial response. Apart from increasing maternal and cord vitamin A levels, vitamin A supplementation along with iron prevented, in this study, the significant decline in haemoglobin occurring at 26–28 weeks of gestation. The birth weights were not altered by vitamin A supplementation.

Keywords

Vitamin A supplementationPregnancyHaemoglobin
Type
Pregnancy and Lactation
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 64 , Issue 2 , September 1990 , pp. 351 - 358
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1990

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