Impact of maternal vitamin A supplementation on the mother-infant pair in Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major public health problem. The supplementation of lactating women could be an effective strategy to combat it. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of maternal vitamin A supplementation on the mother-infant pair.


METHODS
This was a double blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical assay in which 33 women received 200 000 IU of vitamin A and 33 women received soy oil between 20th and 30th postpartum days. Maternal blood and milk samples were collected immediately before supplementation and 3 months after delivery, when blood was also collected from the babies. Retinol concentrations 0.70 μmol/l in serum and 1.05 μmol/l in milk were considered to indicate VAD.


RESULTS
Increase in serum retinol level was observed in the supplemented group compared with the pre-supplementation levels (1.05 and 1.17 μmol/l, respectively; P=0.026) and to the post-supplementation levels of the control group (1.02 μmol/l; P=0.032). Reduction in breast milk retinol was observed in the control group compared with the pre-supplementation levels (1.93 and 1.34 μmol/l, respectively; P<0.0001) and to the post-supplementation levels of the supplemented group (1.56 μmol/l; P=0.0003). There was significant difference in the prevalence of VAD in breast milk after supplementation, 55.6% (15/27) in the control group and 16.1% (5/31) in the supplemented group (P=0.002). VAD was present in 66.1% (39/59) of infants, with mean serum retinol levels of 0.64±0.30 μmol/l in the control group and of 0.69±0.26 μmol/l in the supplemented group.


CONCLUSIONS
Supplementation had a positive impact on maternal vitamin A status. No effect on infant status was detectable 2 months after supplementation with a single dose.
Martins
T M
TM
Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, Department of Puericulture and Pediatrics, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
Ferraz
I S
IS
Daneluzzi
J C
JC
Martinelli
C E
CE
Del Ciampo
L A
LA
Ricco
R G
RG
Jordão
A A
AA
Patta
M C
MC
Vannucchi
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D013024:Soybean Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D014801:Vitamin A; D013024:Soybean Oil