Influence of postpartum supplementation with vitamin A on the levels of immunoglobulin A in human colostrum

Objective: to evaluate the influence of supplementation with retinyl palmitate in the immediate postpartum period on the levels of secretory immunoglobulin a (siga) in colostrum. methods: a clinical trial was conducted among 96 recently-delivered mothers treated at a public maternity hospital,divided into control group,which was not supplemented (n = 44),and test group,supplemented on the first day postpartum (n = 52). samples of 2 ml of colostrum were collected on the first 2 days postpartum. siga was measured by turbidimetry and data were analyzed by the student t test. results: before supplementation,the average siga was 829.1±337.6 mg/dl in the control group and 827.3±249.8 mg/dl in the test group (p = 0.52). after supplementation,the average siga was 343.9±177.2 mg/dl in the unsupplemented group and 501.2±54.5 mg/dl in the supplemented group (p < 0.00001). conclusion: the colostrum of women supplemented with retinyl palmitate has higher levels of siga,which suggests that the production of antibodies is modulated by vitamin a. copyright © by sociedade brasileira de pediatria.