Vitamin A supplementation during puerperium: systematic review

• Published in: Revista de saúde pública 2009-08, Vol.43 (4), p.699-706
• Main Authors: Caminha, Maria de Fátima Costa, Batista Filho, Malaquias, Fernandes, Taciana Fernanda dos Santos, Arruda, Ilma Kruze Grande de, Diniz, Alcides da Silva
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; por
• Subjects: Dietary Supplements - analysis; Female; Humans; Lactation; Milk, Human - chemistry; Postpartum Period - drug effects; Pregnancy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Vitamin A - administration & dosage; Vitamin A - blood; Vitamin A Deficiency - prevention & control
• ISSN: 1518-8787

A systematic review on studies evaluating the effect of applying megadoses of vitamin A on the retinol concentrations in maternal milk and blood, as a short-term measure for preventing hypovitaminosis A, was conducted. Based on the strategy of the Brazilian Cochrane Center for randomized trials, 115 published papers were identified in PubMed. From these, through a set of inclusion/exclusion criteria, 14 articles published between 1993 and 2007 were selected. The effects of interventions with three posological regimens (200,000, 300,000 and 400,000 IU) of vitamin A were analyzed. Out of 11 experiments conducted on maternal milk, nine presented elevation of the retinol levels in comparison with the control group; out of nine that evaluated maternal blood, four showed elevation at varying times after applying megadoses of vitamin A. It was concluded that the results from administration of vitamin A at high doses were positive in 82% of the trials on maternal milk, but less notable in relation to maternal blood. No significant differences regarding the posological regimens applied were observed.