TY - JOUR
T1 - Vitamin A or β-Carotene supplementation reduces symptoms of illness in pregnant and lactating Nepali women
AU - Christian, Parul
AU - West, Keith P.
AU - Khatry, Subarna K.
AU - Katz, Joanne
AU - Leclerq, Steven C.
AU - Kimbrough-Pradhan, Elizabeth
AU - Dali, Sanu Maiya
AU - Shrestha, Sharada Ram
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - The contribution of nutritional interventions to the reduction in matemal morbidity rates in developing countries is not well known. We assessed the impact of weekly vitamin A and β-carotene supplementation on the prevalence of pregnancy and postpartum illness symptoms among 15,832 Nepali women in a placebo-controlled, double-masked, cluster-randomized trial. There was no impact of either supplement on morbidity rates reported up to 28 wk of gestation, inclusive. However, in late pregnancy (>28 wk), symptoms of nausea, faintness and night blindness were reduced with vitamin A, but not β-carotene, supplementation. Vitamin A supplementation shortened the length of labor by 1.5 h 50 min among nulliparous and multiparous women, respectively. Both interventions reduced the postpartum prevalence of at least four loose stools and night blindness. β-Carotene supplementation also reduced symptoms of high fever postpartum. The mean number of days of any reported illness symptoms was 3-4 per wk throughout pregnancy. Among women receiving vitamin A, the total number of days of illness symptoms accrued over the last 12 wk of pregnancy was lower by 5 d compared with the placebo recipients. We found the burden of pregnancy-related illness symptoms to be high in this rural area of Nepal where antenatal care is poor and most deliveries occur at home. Matemal vitamin A or β-carotene supplementation resulted in a reduction in the prevalence of selected illness symptoms during late pregnancy, at the time of birth and during 6 mo postpartum, suggesting that a diet adequate in vitamin A may be important for improving women's reproductive health.
AB - The contribution of nutritional interventions to the reduction in matemal morbidity rates in developing countries is not well known. We assessed the impact of weekly vitamin A and β-carotene supplementation on the prevalence of pregnancy and postpartum illness symptoms among 15,832 Nepali women in a placebo-controlled, double-masked, cluster-randomized trial. There was no impact of either supplement on morbidity rates reported up to 28 wk of gestation, inclusive. However, in late pregnancy (>28 wk), symptoms of nausea, faintness and night blindness were reduced with vitamin A, but not β-carotene, supplementation. Vitamin A supplementation shortened the length of labor by 1.5 h 50 min among nulliparous and multiparous women, respectively. Both interventions reduced the postpartum prevalence of at least four loose stools and night blindness. β-Carotene supplementation also reduced symptoms of high fever postpartum. The mean number of days of any reported illness symptoms was 3-4 per wk throughout pregnancy. Among women receiving vitamin A, the total number of days of illness symptoms accrued over the last 12 wk of pregnancy was lower by 5 d compared with the placebo recipients. We found the burden of pregnancy-related illness symptoms to be high in this rural area of Nepal where antenatal care is poor and most deliveries occur at home. Matemal vitamin A or β-carotene supplementation resulted in a reduction in the prevalence of selected illness symptoms during late pregnancy, at the time of birth and during 6 mo postpartum, suggesting that a diet adequate in vitamin A may be important for improving women's reproductive health.
KW - Humans
KW - Illness symptoms
KW - Pregnancy and lactation
KW - Vitamin A
KW - β-Carotene
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U2 - 10.1093/jn/130.11.2675
DO - 10.1093/jn/130.11.2675
M3 - Article
C2 - 11053506
AN - SCOPUS:0033745029
SN - 0022-3166
VL - 130
SP - 2675
EP - 2682
JO - Journal of Nutrition
JF - Journal of Nutrition
IS - 11
ER -