Vitamin A supplementation for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants one to six months of age
Citation: Imdad A., Ahmed Z., Bhutta Z.A.. Vitamin A supplementation for the prevention of morbidity and mortality in infants one to six months of age. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD007480.
There is no convincing evidence that vitamin A supplementation for infants one to six months of age results in a reduction in infant mortality or morbidity in low‐ and middle‐income countries. There is an increased risk of bulging fontanelle with vitamin A supplementation in this age group; however, there were no reported subsequent complications because of this adverse effect.
Vitamin A supplementation provided to infants less than six months of age is one of the strategies to improve the nutrition of infants at high risk of vitamin A deficiency. This review evaluates the effect of synthetic vitamin A supplementation in infants one to six months of age in low- and middle-income countries, irrespective of maternal antenatal or postnatal vitamin A supplementation status, on mortality, morbidity and adverse effects.