Exclusive breastfeeding and its relation with vitamin A nutritional status of mother-infant dyad

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Breastfeeding mothers and infants are vulnerable groups to vitamin A deficiency (VAD). The aim of the study
was to determine the relationship between the nutritional status of vitamin A in the mother and the exclusively breastfed infant. METHODS: An observational, analytical, cross-sectional study was carried out in 6-month-old breastfed infants and their  mothers. Serum and milk vitamin A concentration was assessed by liquid chromatography. Average vitamin A concentrations  and prevalences of VAD in serum and milk were calculated and compared using statistical tests. RESULTS: A total of 63 mother- child dyads were studied. The mean concentrations of retinol in maternal and infant serum were 1.84±0.48 µmol/L and  1.09±0.25 µmol/L, respectively. There were no mothers with VAD in serum, and 5% of the infants were deficient. The median  concentration of retinol in breast milk was 15.57 µg/g fat (11.37; 23.98), and 12% were deficient. A statistically significant  difference was found between serum retinol levels of infants fed adequate and deficient milk (0.85±0.16 µmol/L and 1.10±0.24  µmol/L, respectively; p=0.042). DISCUSSION: The nutritional status of vitamin A of the mothers was adequate, although 12% of  the milk was deficient, and 5% of infants presented VAD. The serum retinol levels of infants fed poor milk were lower than those  fed adequate milk.