The link between vitamin A dietary status and anaemia in pregnancy: A comparative cross-sectional study

Anaemia in pregnancy occurs mainly in the second and third trimesters. It is becoming more common among Indonesians and is associated with complications. Vitamin A assists in iron and cell metabolism but is unpopular during pregnancy. To assess the relationship between dietary status of vitamin A and anaemia in women in the third trimester of pregnancy.

A pilot comparative cross-sectional study of 22 women with anaemia and 22 women without anaemia was conducted between August to October of 2018. Vitamin A dietary status was measured using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire with a cut-off of 850 mcg/day deemed adequate. Anaemia status was assessed using a haematology analyser with a cut-off of 10.5 g/dL and values below the cut-off were considered anaemic.

The difference in mean age between the anaemia and non-anaemia groups was not statistically significant. However, there was a clinical disparity in incidence of anaemia according to gestational age, with 55.2% at term gestational age and 40.0% at preterm gestational age. It was found that 38.6% of the initial subjects were anaemic and 81.8% did not have sufficient daily vitamin A. Despite its role in cell metabolism; there was no link between vitamin A dietary status and anaemia status.

Vitamin A alone was unsuccessful in preventing anaemia in the third trimester. It is suggested, however, that it could be beneficial when combined with iron, folic acid and cobalamin.