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

• Published in: International journal of gynecology and obstetrics Vol. 85; no. S1; pp. S24 - S27
• Main Author: West Jr, K.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• 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

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...