Vitamin A nutrition status among pregnant women in rural China in 2015

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the nutrition status of vitamin A in Chinese rural pregnant women from the Chinese National Nutrition and Health Survey 2015(CNNHS 2015). METHODS A total of 3273 Chinese rural pregnant women were recruited in this study. The concentrations of serum retinol were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. The C-reactive protein and α-acid glycoprotein were determined by immunoturbidimetric method. The distribution of serum retinol status in pregnant women was further described for different regions, age groups, nationalities, body mass index(BMI), education levels, gestational weeks, family income per capita and inflammation levels. The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency and the percentage of marginal vitamin A deficiency in pregnant women were compared in different subgroups. RESULTS The median concentration of serum retinol(M(P25, P75)) was 0. 47(0. 36, 0. 61) mg/L. There were significant differences among different regions, age groups, education levels, gestational age and per capita household income(P<0. 01). The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency was 1. 2% for deficiency and 10. 5% for marginal deficiency, respectively. Significant differences were observed in age groups, gestational weeks and inflammation levels(P<0. 01). In addition, the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency was relatively serious, 2. 1% for deficiency and 14. 2% for marginal deficiency in the third trimester, 2. 0% for deficiency and 12. 2% for marginal in the 30-44 years. CONCLUSION It should be pay more attention on the vitamin A nutrition status in the third trimester and the 30-44 years old pregnant women, although the vitamin A status had been greatly improved in Chinese rural pregnant women.