Post-partum High-dose Vitamin A Supplementation to Improve Vitamin A Status of Mother and Infant: The Role of Timing and Inflammation

Abstract

Objectives: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in infancy remains an important health problem. Post-partum maternal high-dose vitamin A supplementation (MHDVAS) was recommended but recently cancelled by WHO as efficacy was unclear. We investigated effects of inflammation and timing of MHDVAS on VA status in mothers and newborns. Methods: In a randomized, double-blinded placebo-controlled trial, 400 pregnant women were randomly assigned at 28–32 weeks gestation, to receive MHDVAS within 1 week after delivery (WK1) or 6 weeks post-partum (WK6). Breastmilk, plasma VA and inflammation markers were measured at several time-points during the first 6 months post-partum. Results: Retinol concentrations during pregnancy and 6 months post-partum were strongly correlated (R=0.53, P<0.001). Prevalence of VAD(<0.70 μmol/L) in mothers 6 months post-partum was low (2.7%), but high in infants (33.6%), regardless of intervention. 77.6% of infants had retinol concentrations <1.05 μmol/L. Breastmilk vitamin A concentrations (<1.05 μmol/L) were deficient in only 5% of the women first week post-partum, but increased to 28% of the women 6 months post-partum and tended to be higher in the WK1 compared to the WK6 (31.4% and 24.5%,P<0.10). Retinol liver stores were significantly higher in children from mothers receiving MHDVAS at WK6 as compared to WK1 (P<0.001), with 27% and 46.9% of the infants having insufficient VA liver stores respectively. Conclusions: Lactation caused depletion of vitamin A stores in mothers. Delaying the high-dose VAS post-partum from WK1 to WK6 did not affect circulating retinol, but did significantly increased VA liver stores in infants 6 months after birth. Health-benefits should be evaluated in a larger trial.