Vitamin A supplementation in postpartum women

Vitamin A is important for visual health, immune function and fetal growth and development. Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in many parts of the world, particularly Africa and South-East Asia. It can cause visual impairment in the form of night blindness and, in children, may increase the risk of illness and death from childhood infections, including measles and those causing diarrhoea.

Generally, infants are born with low vitamin A stores and are dependent on external sources, most importantly breast milk. Maternal dietary intake during pregnancy and postpartum is therefore an important determinant both of maternal vitamin A status and the vitamin A status of her infant.

In settings where vitamin A deficiency and/or undernutrition is common, mothers may produce breast milk with inadequate concentrations of vitamin A. Vitamin A supplementation in postpartum women might be expected to improve maternal vitamin A status, thereby increasing the vitamin A content of breast milk and improving the health of mother and infant. Current evidence suggests however, that vitamin A supplementation in postpartum women does not reduce the risk of illness or death in mothers or their infants.

Postpartum women should be encouraged to receive adequate nutrition, which is best achieved through consumption of a balanced healthy diet.