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WITHDRAWN: Vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy.
Nynke van den Broek1, Regina Kulier, A Metin Gülmezoglu
1Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, UK, L3 5QA.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|November 12, 2010
Summary
Vitamin A supplements in pregnancy may reduce maternal mortality, particularly with weekly doses, and improve anemia. However, more research is needed to confirm these benefits and understand the mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy is recommended to decrease maternal mortality and morbidity.
- The effectiveness of vitamin A, alone or with other supplements, requires thorough review.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the impact of vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy on maternal and newborn health outcomes.
- To evaluate clinical and laboratory results associated with vitamin A and combined micronutrient interventions.
Main Methods:
- Searched Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group registers for randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials.
- Included trials evaluating vitamin A supplementation in pregnant women, alone or with other micronutrients.
- Assessed trial quality, extracted data on interventions and outcomes, including maternal and neonatal clinical and laboratory measures.
Main Results:
- Five trials with 23,426 women were included; meta-analysis was not feasible due to heterogeneity.
- A Nepal trial indicated weekly vitamin A may reduce maternal mortality (RR 0.60) and night blindness.
- An Indonesian trial showed vitamin A improved hemoglobin in anemic women, but Malawi trials did not confirm benefits.
Conclusions:
- While trials from Nepal and Indonesia suggest benefits, further research is essential.
- Additional studies are needed to confirm vitamin A's role in reducing maternal mortality and morbidity.
- Understanding the mechanisms behind vitamin A's effects is crucial.
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