Vitamin A deficiency as a preventable cause of maternal mortality in undernourished societies: plausibility and next steps

Maternal vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in the developing world. Recent evidence from Nepal suggests that supplementing populations of rural, poor, and undernourished women with a recommended dietary amount of vitamin A—or its equivalent as beta-carotene—can lower mortality risk rel...

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Published inInternational journal of gynecology and obstetrics Vol. 85; no. S1; pp. S24 - S27
Main Author West Jr, K.P.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.06.2004
Subjects
Developing Countries
Diet
Female
Food fortification
Health Services Accessibility
Humans
Malnutrition
Maternal Health Services - organization & administration
Maternal Mortality
Maternal vitamin A deficiency
Medically Underserved Area
Micronutrient supplementation
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications - prevention & control
Vitamin A Deficiency - prevention & control
Developing countries
Micronutrient supplementation
Diet
Maternal vitamin A deficiency
Food fortification
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Summary:Maternal vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in the developing world. Recent evidence from Nepal suggests that supplementing populations of rural, poor, and undernourished women with a recommended dietary amount of vitamin A—or its equivalent as beta-carotene—can lower mortality risk related to pregnancy and childbirth, presumably by reducing the severity of conditions such as sepsis, tuberculosis, and diarrheal diseases. An adequate intake of beta-carotene may also reduce some maternal health risks related to oxidative stress. These findings reveal the potential for vitamin A and other micronutrient interventions to improve maternal and infant health and survival. They also present important implementation challenges for the developing world.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:0020-7292
1879-3479
DOI:10.1016/j.ijgo.2004.02.008