title: Effect of vitamin A supplementation on haemoglobin and vitamin A levels during pregnancy.
abstract: 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 micrograms 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.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Panth
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Shatrugna
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yasodhara
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sivakumar
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids