An oral admistration of Vitamin A for several days after birth can reduce infant mortality as its finding from trial in South Asia, according to an article in the July 2008 issue of PEDIATRICS, one of The Official Journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics.
According to the article, after assessing the effect of suplementation Vitamin A in newborns with 50000 IU with 24 weeks of age and all cause infant mortality, the researchers found that this methods seems to be safe and can reduce mortality by up to 15% or more. As found in few teritory such Bangladesh, Indonesia, and India the suplementation can reduce cough and fever – suggestive of pneumonia.
It also may reduce oxidative stress-related pathways of disease instead of maternal vitamin A deficiency which will affect perinatal size and the structure and function of the kidney,liver, heart and cardiovasculare, according to the article.
Rolf D.W. Klemm, MPH, DrPH and colleagues studied 17116 live-born infants to be dosed with 50000 IU Vitamin A < 30 days after birth and vital status at 24 weeks of age. For its purpose in knowing whether Vitamin A can reduce infant mortality.
You can have a full read of this pediatric journal from its original tittle ” Newborn Vitamin A Supplementation Reduced Infant Mortality in Rural Bangladesh ” in PDF Format (source:pediatrics.aappublications.org). You might be interested in another pediatric journal.
