Vitamin A concentration in umbilical cord blood of infants from three separate regions of the province of Quebec (Canada)

Background: Inuit women from Northern Quebec have been shown to consume inadequate quantities of vitamin A. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of blood vitamin A deficiency in newborns from 3 distinct populations of the province of Quebec. Methods: 594 newborns were included in this study (375 Inuit newborns from northern Quebec (Nunavik), 107 Caucasian and Native newborns from the Lower Northern Shore of the Saint-Lawrence River (LNS) and 112 newborns from Southern Quebec where clinical vitamin A deficiency is uncommon). Mothers were recruited at delivery and vitamin A (retinol) was analyzed from umbilical cord blood samples by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. Results: Nunavik and LNS newborns had significantly lower mean vitamin A concentrations in cord blood compared to Southern Quebec participants (15.7 mug/dL, 16.8 mug/dL and 20.4 mug/dL respectively). The differences observed were similar when adjusted for sex and birthweight. Results also showed that 8.5% of Nunavik newborns and 12.2% of LNS newborns were below 10.0 mug/dL, a level thought to be indicative of blood vitamin A deficiency in neonates. Conclusion: These data suggest that a carefully planned vitamin A supplementation program during pregnancy in Nunavik and LNS might be indicated to promote healthy infant development.