Maternal-neonatal retinol and alpha-tocopherol serum concentrations in Greeks and Albanians

Vitamin A and E are required in physiological processes such as pregnancy and growth.

To evaluate retinol and alpha-tocopherol serum levels in Greek and Albanian mothers and in their newborns.

Data concerned 1125 Greek and 898 Albanian mothers along with their newborns. Immediately after delivery, blood from the umbilical cord and from the mothers was collected into light-protected tubes. Retinol and alpha-tocopherol serum levels were measured with a reversed-phase HPLC method. A 60-d dietetic diary was kept by each woman during the last 2 mo of pregnancy.

Retinol (1.3 +/- 0.1 micromol/l) and alpha-tocopherol (32.9 +/- 9.5 micromol/l) levels were estimated to be normal in Greek mothers and in most of their offspring (0.9 +/- 0.1 and 18.5 +/- 3.4 micromol/l, respectively). In contrast, in Albanian mothers, retinol concentration was found to be low (0.6 +/- 0.1 micromol/l), and in 1/3 significantly low (<0.45 micromol/l). Consequently, the vitamin was evaluated to be very low in their newborns (0.4 +/- 0.1 micromol/l), and in 1/2 extremely low. However, in 12% of the Albanian cord blood samples, retinol level was determined to be higher as compared with that of their mothers. alpha-Tocopherol was evaluated to be normal in most of the immigrant mothers (20.0 +/- 8.8 micromol/l) and low (<7.5 micromol/l) in 15% of their newborns. Vitamin A intake was found to be extremely low and vitamin E low (p < 0.05) in the Albanians.

(a) The decreased vitamin A and vitamin E intake, and their low blood status in the Albanian mothers and in their newborns, could be due to their low socio-economic and nutritional status. (b) Immigrant Albanians, during their pregnancy, and their newborns should be "followed up", being at risk of developing symptoms from the very low levels of these lipid-soluble vitamins.