[Impact on colostrum retinol levels of immediate postpartum supplementation with retinyl palmitate].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of retinyl palmitate supplementation on colostrum retinol levels, investigating the influence of maternal variables (age, type of delivery, and biochemical nutritional status) on these levels.


METHODS
The study included 33 mothers receiving care at the Januário Cicco Maternity School, in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. In the first hours after delivery, blood and colostrum samples were collected. Another colostrum sample was collected six hours after maternal supplementation with 200,000 IU of retinyl palmitate. Serum and colostrum retinol levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography.


RESULTS
The mean retinol level in colostrum before the supplementation was 110.8 +/- 82.3 microg/dL, and after supplementation it was 164.4 +/- 106.5 microg/dL (P < 0.025). Of the 33 mothers, 12 of them either did not respond to supplementation or had an increase of less than 10% in colostrum retinol levels; serum retinol in these women was significantly lower as compared to the responders (P = 0.024). In comparison to women with a normal delivery, the mothers who underwent cesarean delivery (64%) had lower serum retinol levels, but not lower colostrum retinol levels (P = 0.036). Maternal age did not influence retinol levels in either serum or colostrum.


CONCLUSIONS
The increase in colostrum retinol levels following vitamin A supplementation was sufficient to guarantee double the retinol requirements of a newborn infant.
Dimenstein
Roberto
R
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Avenida Senador Salgado Filho 3000, Bairro Lagoa Nova, CEP 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brasil. robertod@ufrnet.br
Lourenço
Raquel Maria da Silva
RM
Ribeiro
Karla Danielly da Silva
KD
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002585:Cesarean Section; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004224:Diterpenes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009974:Orthomolecular Therapy; D011184:Postoperative Period; D049590:Postpartum Period; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D004224:Diterpenes; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate