Maternal factors associated with vitamin A concentration in colostrum of postpartum mothers in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

Introduction: Newborns have low vitamin A reserves and rely on breastmilk to meet their vitamin A needs. This study aimed to determine factors associated with vitamin A concentration in colostrum of rural postpartum mothers. Methods: Out of 180 postpartum women interviewed at seven Community Health Centers in South Sulawesi Province, 160 who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Breastmilk (colostrum) samples were obtained shortly after delivery from the breast that was not full and not fed to the infant for at least 30 min. Breastmilk samples of 3-5 mls were collected into sterile plastic tubes using a manual pump. The samples were immediately placed in an icebox and transported to the laboratory within six hours after collection. Vitamin A concentrations were determined using HPLC method. Socioeconomic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, gestational age, and dietary intake of mothers (24-hour recall) were obtained. Bivariate and multiple linear regression analysis were undertaken to determine factors associated with vitamin A concentration in colostrum. Results: Dietary assessment showed unsatisfactory intake levels of calories, fat, protein, vitamin A, iron and zinc compared to the recommendations for Indonesia. Mean vitamin A concentration in colostrum was 58.2 μg/dl, and about 81.2% of the participants had normal colostrum vitamin A concentration. Iron intake and gestational age were significantly associated with colostrum vitamin A concentrations. Conclusion: Majority of the postpartum mothers had normal colostrum vitamin A concentration. Maternal dietary intake including iron is important to ensure adequacy of vitamin A in breastmilk.