title: Vitamin A and beta-carotene supply of women with gemini or short birth intervals: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An adequate supply of vitamin A during pregnancy and breastfeeding plays an important role for development of foetus and neonate, especially in lung development and function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Aim of this pilot study was to analyze vitamin A and beta-carotene status and to investigate the contribution of nutrition to the vitamin A and beta-carotene supply in mother-infant pairs of gemini or births within short birth intervals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine volunteers aged between 21 and 36 years were evaluated for 48 h after delivery. During this time frame a food frequency protocol considering 3 months retrospective was obtained from all participants. In order to establish overall supply retinol and beta-carotene levels were determined in maternal plasma, cord blood and colostrum via HPLC analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regardless of the high to moderate socio-economic background, 27.6% of participants showed plasma retinol levels below 1.4 micromol/l which can be taken as borderline deficiency. In addition, 46.4% showed retinol intake <66% of RDA and 50.0% did not consume liver at all although liver contributes as a main source for preformed retinol. Despite high total carotenoid intake of 6.9 +/- 3.6 mg/d, 20.7% of mothers showed plasma levels <0.5 micromol/l beta-carotene. Retinol and beta-carotene levels were highly significantly correlated between maternal plasma versus cord blood and colostrum. In addition, significantly lower levels were found in cord blood (31.2 +/- 13.0% (retinol), 4.1 +/- 1.4% (beta-carotene) compared with maternal plasma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the fact that vitamin A and beta-carotene rich food is generally available, risk groups for low vitamin A supply exist in the western world.
authors.affiliation: BioTeSys GmbH, Schelztorstr. 54-56, 73728 Esslingen, Germany. c.schulz@biotesys.de
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Engel
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kreienberg
authors.forename: Hans Konrad
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Biesalski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001721:Birth Intervals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A