title: Vitamin A deficiency as a preventable cause of maternal mortality in undernourished societies: plausibility and next steps.
abstract: Maternal vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in the developing world. Recent evidence from Nepal suggests that supplementing populations of rural, poor, and undernourished women with a recommended dietary amount of vitamin A--or its equivalent as beta-carotene--can lower mortality risk related to pregnancy and childbirth, presumably by reducing the severity of conditions such as sepsis, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases. An adequate intake of beta-carotene may also reduce some maternal health risks related to oxidative stress. These findings reveal the potential for vitamin A and other micronutrient interventions to improve maternal and infant health and survival. They also present important implementation challenges for the developing world.
authors.affiliation: Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. kwest@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: West
mesh_terms: D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D044342:Malnutrition; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D008507:Medically Underserved Area; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control*