Serum Vitamin A Levels in Mothers and Their Breast-Fed Term Infants with or without Supplemental Vitamin A |
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Authors: | MARJA ALA-HOUHALA T KOSKINEN RITVA MÄKI SIRPA RINKARI |
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Institution: | Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Tampere, and the Department of Paediatrics, University Central Hospital of Tampere, Tampere, Finland |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACT. Serum concentrations of vitamin A were measured in term infants ( n =72) and their mothers at delivery and after 20 weeks of breast-feeding ( n =48). During the 20 weeks the infants received either no supplemental vitamin A (but the mothers were given 3000 IU vitamin A daily) ( n =16) or a daily vitamin A supplementation of 600 ( n =17) or 1500 IU ( n =15). After 20 weeks of breast-feeding the vitamin A levels in the unsupplemented infants were similar to those at birth. The infants supplemented either with 600 or 1500 IU had higher vitamin A serum levels than at birth ( p <0.01), however, there was no difference between the two supplemented groups. During lactation, the serum vitamin A concentrations of the mothers increased significantly in all groups with or without vitamin A supplementation. |
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Keywords: | vitamin A breast-feeding infants |
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