title: Gestational nightblindness among women attending a public maternity hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
abstract: This study evaluated the prevalence of gestational nightblindness among postpartum women seen at the University Maternal Hospital of the Federal University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and the association of this symptom with a biochemical indicator (serum retinol levels) and sociodemographic, anthropometric and antenatal care variables. In total, 262 postpartum women, who did not receive vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy, were interviewed. Gestational nightblindness was diagnosed through the standardized interview as proposed by WHO. Serum retinol levels were evaluated by spectrophotometry. Gestational nightblindness relating to low levels of serum retinol (<1.05 micromol/L, p = 0.000) was diagnosed in 17.9% of subjects interviewed. Less than five antenatal care appointments (odds ratio [OR] = 2.179; confidence interval [CI] 95% = 1.078 - 4.402) and a history of one or more miscarriage(s) (OR = 2.306; CI 95% = 1.185 - 4.491) were predictors for gestational nightblindness. These findings justify the need for nutritional counselling, aimed at improving the vitamin A nutritional status, especially among pregnant women with a history of previous miscarriages and poor antenatal care.
authors.affiliation: Vitamin A Research Group, Institute of Nutrition, Federal University in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. cfcoelho@osite.com.br
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: do Carmo Leal
authors.forename: Mirian Martins
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Luciana Ferreira
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Bianca Amaral
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: dos Santos Silva
authors.forename: Ana Paula Pereira
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Thiapó de Lima
authors.forename: Rejane Andréa
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ramalho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009755:Night Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D015995:Prevalence; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A