title: Impact of neonatal vitamin A supplementation on infant morbidity and mortality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether vitamin A supplementation at birth could reduce infant morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a placebo-controlled trial among 2067 Indonesian neonates who received either 52 micromol (50,000 IU) orally administered vitamin A or placebo on the first day of life. Infants were followed up at 1 year to determine the impact of this intervention on infant mortality. A subgroup (n = 470) was also examined at 4 and 6 months of age to examine the impact on morbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vital status was confirmed in 89% of infants in both groups at 1 year. There were 19 deaths in the control group and 7 in the vitamin A group (relative risk = 0.36; 95% confidence interval = 0.16, 0.87). The impact was stronger among boys, infants of normal compared with low birth weight, and those of greater ponderal index. Among infants examined at 4 months of age, the 1-week period prevalence of common morbidities was similar for vitamin A and control infants. However, during this same 4-month period, 73% and 51% more control infants were brought for medical treatment for cough (p = 0.008) and fever (p = 0.063), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neonatal vitamin A supplementation may reduce the infant mortality rate and the prevalence of severe respiratory infection among young infants.
authors.affiliation: Division of Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Humphrey
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Agoestina
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Usman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nurachim
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Subardja
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hidayat
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tielsch
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sommer
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D015996:Survival Rate; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A