Chronic fetal malnutrition and vitamin A in cord serum.

The relationship between type I IUGR (chronic fetal malnutrition) and cord serum levels of vitamin A was studied in 269 infants from Guatemala. Of the newborns in the sample, 28 per cent were type I IUGR, 8 per cent were type III UGR (acute fetal malnutrition), and 64 per cent were of normal weight for gestational age. A trend of increasing birthweight with increasing vitamin A levels was found. Also, vitamin A levels in the cord blood of the smallest type I IUGR babies were significantly lower than levels in the smallest type II IUGR babies. Vitamin A levels and birthweight were positively associated only among type I IUGR neonates. Significantly more type I IUGR babies had vitamin A levels in the lowest quartile than did babies of normal birthweight.