A systematic review of randomized controlled trials of prenatal and postnatal vitamin A supplementation of HIV-infected women

Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2009 Jan;104(1):5-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2008.08.023. Epub 2008 Oct 15.

Abstract

We searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, AIDSearch, and Gateway to assess the effect of prenatal and/or postnatal vitamin A supplementation on the risk of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV and other pregnancy outcomes. We included 5 trials totaling 7528 women (4 trials of prenatal and 1 trial of postnatal supplementation). Overall, there was no evidence of an effect of prenatal and/or postnatal vitamin A supplementation on the risk of MTCT of HIV (Relative Risk [RR] 1.06, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.89-1.26). However, prenatal vitamin A supplementation significantly improved birth weight (weighted mean difference 89.78; 95% CI, 84.73-94.83), but there was no evidence of an effect on stillbirths (RR 0.99; 95% CI, 0.68-1.43), preterm births (RR 0.88; 95% CI, 0.65-1.19), death before 24 months among live births (RR 1.08; 95% CI, 0.91-1.29), and maternal death (RR 0.83; 95% CI, 0.59-1.17). The available evidence does not support vitamin A supplementation of HIV-infected pregnant and lactating women, despite improvement in birth weight.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / prevention & control*
  • HIV Infections / transmission*
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / prevention & control*
  • Odds Ratio
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / drug therapy*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / virology
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Vitamin A / therapeutic use*
  • Vitamins / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin A