Plasma vitamin A and carotene in maternal and cord blood.

Mean plasma vitamin A and carotene levels in 200 pregnant women at term were 30.3 mcg% and 43.6 mcg%. Sixty-four percent of women had vitamin A in lower limit of normal (less than 33 mcg%) and 26% had deficient and low levels of carotene. Mean values of plasma vitamin A and carotene in cord blood was 13.7 mcg% and 16.5 mcg%, respectively, and lower than that of maternal blood at term. Women who had adequate levels of vitamin A (greater than 33 mcg%) in blood had significantly higher intake of vitamin A. Similarly the newborn babies of those mothers who had adequate levels of vitamin A had significantly higher levels of vitamin A than those of mothers who had inadequate levels (less than 33 mcg%).