Clinical Study Title:
Night blindness during pregnancy and subsequent mortality among women in Nepal: effects of vitamin A and beta-carotene supplementation.

Plain English Summary:

Night blindness during pregnancy can put a woman at risk for other complications including death. This study looked at the risk of death for women who had night blindness in Nepal. Over 10,000 pregnant women with and without night blindness were given either a vitamin A and beta carotene supplement or a placebo. The women were followed throughout the entire pregnancy. Those women taking the vitamin supplement who had night blindness were at a decreased risk of dying during pregnancy. Those women taking the placebo and had night blindness were much more likely to die. This suggests that a vitamin supplement of vitamin A and beta carotene is beneficial and protective during pregnancy, especially if the mother has night blindness.

Authors

Christian P. West KP Jr. Khatry SK. Kimbrough-Pradhan E. LeClerq SC. Katz J. Shrestha SR. Dali SM. Sommer A.

Institution

Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.

Country of Publication

United States

Source

American Journal of Epidemiology. 152(6):542-7, 2000 Sep 15.