Vitamin A Supplementation at Birth and Its Effects on Girls
Author Information
Author(s): Aney Bærent Fisker, Peter Aaby, Amabelia Rodrigues, Morten Frydenberg, Bo Martin Bibby, Christine Stabell Benn
Primary Institution: Bandim Health Project, Indepth Network, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
Hypothesis
Does neonatal vitamin A supplementation prime the response to subsequent vitamin A supplements in girls?
Conclusion
Neonatal vitamin A supplementation primes the response in girls, leading to lower mortality after subsequent doses.
Supporting Evidence
- Neonatal vitamin A was associated with lower mortality than placebo.
- The effect was more pronounced in girls than boys.
- Children who received both neonatal VAS and FU-VAS had the strongest beneficial effect.
Takeaway
Giving vitamin A to babies might help girls stay healthier when they get more vitamin A later on.
Methodology
A randomized trial comparing neonatal vitamin A supplementation with placebo, followed by a follow-up vitamin A dose at 1 year.
Potential Biases
Selection bias may have occurred due to children not being home for follow-up visits.
Limitations
The study was not originally designed to test the priming hypothesis, which may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
Children enrolled were normal birth weight infants from Guinea-Bissau.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.01
Confidence Interval
95%CI: 0.31–0.94
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website