Postpartum vitamin A supplementation for HIV-positive women is not associated with mortality and morbidity of their breastfed infants: evidence from multiple national surveys in sub-Saharan Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) in the postpartum period improves the vitamin A concentration of breast milk and vitamin A status is an important predictor of childhood survival. It is also known that Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) is more prevalent in HIV-infected women. This study investigated the association between vitamin A supplements provided to HIV-positive women in the postpartum period and mortality and morbidity of their breastfed infants in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where the prevalence of VAD and HIV is high.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted based on the secondary data of 838 HIV-positive women (309 vitamin A supplement and 529 non-supplemented) extracted from the datasets of 43 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted in 26 SSA count

SUBMITTER: Gebremedhin S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7218630 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature