Investigating The Relationship Between Serum Vitamin A Status Of Twin Newborns And Vitamin A Supplementation During Pregnancy

Objective: To observe the serum vitamin A(VitA)status in twin newborns and analyze its relationship with VitA supplementation during pregnancy.Methods: A total of 78 twin newborns and 50 singletons were recruited as subjects.The serum status of VitA at birth were measured.The maternal data were collected at the same time.Statistical analysis was used to analyze the relationship between VitA status and VitA supplementation during pregnancy.Results:(1)The mean serum concentration of VitA in twin newborns was(0.31 ± 0.15)umol / L,the mean VitA serum concentration of singletons was(0.44 ± 0.18)umol / L.The level of twin newborns was statistically lower than singletons(P<0.05).(2)The group whose serum level of VitA was no less than 0.7umol/L have statistically larger weight and head circumference than the vitamin A deficiency(<0.7umol/L)group(P<0.05).The serum status of VitA between different gestational ages and birth weight were no statistical difference.(3)There was no significantdifference in the average dose of VitA supplementation during pregnancy between single group and twin group(P>0.05).Under the similar condition VitA supplementation during pregnancy,the VitA level of twins were lower than singletons and the incidence of clinical vitamin A deficiency was higher(P<0.05).Multivariate regression analysis showed that twin pregnancy(OR=8.895,95%CI:3.210~24.629)and no VitA supplementation during pregnancy(OR=11.536,95%CI:2.644~50.331)were the risk factors of clinical vitamin A deficiency.Conclusion: The twins’ serum VitA status is significant low and its incidence of vitamin A deficiency is significant high.The clinical vitamin A deficiency ratio of twin newborns is as high as 67.9%.Twin pregnancy and the infants whose mother has no VitA supplementation during pregnancy are more likely to suffer from clinical vitamin A deficiency.