PLASMA VITAMIN-A (RETINOL) AND RETINOL-BINDING PROTEIN IN NEWBORNS AND THEIR MOTHERS

Plasma vitamin A (retinol) and retinol-binding protein (RBP) were measured in 66 women at delivery and in their full-term offsprings at birth. In newborns the plasma vitamin A and RBP concentrations were 50-60% of the values found in their mothers at delivery (p<0.025). According to the guidelines recommended by the NHANES II Committee, 35% of the newborns had plasma vitamin A concentrations below 1.01 mu mol/L, considered to be indicative of inadequate Vitamin A status if encountered in older infants and adults. The mean plasma molar ratio of vitamin A/RBP was found to be close to 1.0 in both newborns and mothers. This in turn is indicative of normal saturation of RBP with vitamin A. Furthermore, all of the neonates were born with normal birthweights. We suggest that the low plasma values of vitamin A and its carrier protein in the newborns may be a reflection of age rather than of a true deficiency of vitamin A. The age-specific plasma levels of these two parameters may serve as reference values which could be used to interpret plasma vitamin A and RBP levels of newborns with clinical conditions.