Abstract
Abstract
Neonatal vitamin A stores are limited even in well-nourished full-term infants and are yet smaller in the premature infant. The object of this experiment was to determine whether vitamin A deficiency could be induced in pregnant guinea pigs and, if so, whether it would affect vitamin A status of the neonate. Adult (600 g) guinea pigs were fed a casein-agar diet that was vitamin A deficient (AD). Controls (vitamin A adequate) were orally dosed weekly with 2 mg of retinyl palmitate. Weight gains of dams and birth weights of neonates did not differ. No external signs of deficiency were observed. Six of eight AD and seven of eight vitamin A-adequate dams carried pregnancy to term (≥Day 64). One AD dam died during delivery. Liver retinol concentrations were below the detection limit (<3 μg/g) for all AD neonates and dams and in postpartum serum of AD dams. Of neonates born ≥Day 64, 15 of 18 AD were dead or moribund compared with 4 of 22 vitamin A adequate. The unexpectedly severe effect on the neonate indicates that the guinea pig will be a sensitive model for investigating the affect of poor maternal vitamin A status on neonatal vitamin A-dependent functions. However, a less severe maternal deprivation should be used for such studies.
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