Trial reportPostgraduate medical journal2003
Single megadose vitamin A supplementation of Indian mothers and morbidity in breastfed young infants.
Trial report in Postgraduate medical journal, 2003. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 67 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of vitamin and multiple micronutrient supplementation for pregnant and/or lactating women on maternal and infant nutritional status in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2025Pooled it
- Evaluating the relationship between the nutrient intake of lactating women and their breast milk nutritional profile: a systematic review and narrative synthesis.The British journal of nutrition · 2024Pooled it
- Interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission in breastfeeding mothers with HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de Sao Paulo · 2024Pooled it
- Nutritional supplements and mother's milk composition: a systematic review of interventional studies.International breastfeeding journal · 2021Pooled it
- Retinol-to-Fat Ratio and Retinol Concentration in Human Milk Show Similar Time Trends and Associations with Maternal Factors at the Population Level: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2018Pooled it
- Vitamin A supplementation for postpartum women.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- Vitamin A for non-measles pneumonia in children.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2005Pooled it
- Effects of a food-based intervention on markers of micronutrient status among Indian women of low socio-economic status.The British journal of nutrition · 2015Trial
- Effect on infant illness of maternal supplementation with 400 000 IU vs 200 000 IU of vitamin A.Pediatrics · 2012Trial
- Impact of maternal vitamin A supplementation on the mother-infant pair in Brazil.European journal of clinical nutrition · 2010Trial
- Effect of vitamin supplementation on breast milk concentrations of retinol, carotenoids and tocopherols in HIV-infected Tanzanian women.European journal of clinical nutrition · 2009Trial
- Reference Values for Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Human Milk: The Mothers, Infants and Lactation Quality (MILQ) Study.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2025Article
- Nutritional Status of Breastfeeding Mothers and Impact of Diet and Dietary Supplementation: A Narrative Review.Nutrients · 2024Review
- Carotenoids and Vitamin A in Breastmilk of Hong Kong Lactating Mothers and Their Relationships with Maternal Diet.Nutrients · 2022Article
- Vitamin A Requirements in Pregnancy and Lactation.Current developments in nutrition · 2020Review
- Protective Effect of Breastfeeding on the Adverse Health Effects Induced by Air Pollution: Current Evidence and Possible Mechanisms.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019Review
- Household Air Pollution, Levels of Micronutrients and Heavy Metals in Cord and Maternal Blood, and Pregnancy Outcomes.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2018Article
- Vitamin A intake of Brazilian mothers and retinol concentrations in maternal blood, human milk, and the umbilical cord.The Journal of international medical research · 2018Article
- Vitamin A supplementation for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants one to six months of age.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Review
- The Effect of a Maternal Double Megadose of Vitamin A Supplement on Serum Levels of Retinol in Children Aged under Six Months.Journal of nutrition and metabolism · 2013Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectiveIn developing countries low maternal vitamin A stores combined with increased demands of pregnancy and lactation may lead to its deficiency in breastfed infants. This study evaluates the effects of maternal supplementation with a high dose of vitamin A on the serum retinol levels of exclusively breastfed infants, and their morbidity in the first six months of life.
settingHospital based. STUDY
designRandomised controlled trial. SUBJECTS AND
methodsMothers of the test group (n=150) were orally supplemented with a single dose of retinol (209 micro mol) soon after delivery and were advised exclusive breastfeeding for six months. Before supplementation retinol levels were estimated in the mothers' and newborns' blood, and in colostrum. On follow up, breastmilk and infants' serum retinol contents were assessed monthly for six months. Retinol level <0.7 micro mol/l indicated vitamin A deficiency. Morbidity patterns like vitamin A deficiency, diarrhoea, febrile illnesses, acute respiratory infection, measles, and ear infection were also studied and compared between the two groups.
resultsPresupplement mean maternal serum retinol levels were 0.98 and 0.92 micro mol/l and mean breastmilk levels were 3.85 and 3.92 micro mol/l in the test and control groups respectively (p>0.05). Mean cord blood retinol levels were also comparable (0.68 v 0.64 micro mol/l). After supplementation, the test group showed a rise in mean breastmilk retinol content (12.08 v 2.96 micro mol/l) which remained significantly higher for four months. The infants' mean serum retinol level, initially 322.06% of the baseline value, was significantly higher for five months. In the control group, significant numbers of mothers and infants showed deficient breastmilk and serum retinol throughout the follow up (p<0.01). Decreased incidence and duration of various diseases were also found in the test group suggesting lesser morbidity.
conclusionMaternal supplementation with single megadose vitamin A is an effective strategy for vitamin A prophylaxis of exclusively breastfed infants of 0-6 months.
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