Impact of maternal vitamin A supplementation on the mother-infant pair in Brazil.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major public health problem. The supplementation of lactating women could be an effective strategy to combat it. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of maternal vitamin A supplementation on the mother-infant pair. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This was a double blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical assay in which 33 women received 200 000 IU of vitamin A and 33 women received soy oil between 20th and 30th postpartum days. Maternal blood and milk samples were collected immediately before supplementation and 3 months after delivery, when blood was also collected from the babies. Retinol concentrations 0.70 µmol/l in serum and 1.05 µmol/l in milk were considered to indicate VAD. RESULTS: Increase in serum retinol level was observed in the supplemented group compared with the pre-supplementation levels (1.05 and 1.17 µmol/l, respectively; P=0.026) and to the post-supplementation levels of the control group (1.02 µmol/l; P=0.032). Reduction in breast milk retinol was observed in the control group compared with the pre-supplementation levels (1.93 and 1.34 µmol/l, respectively; P<0.0001) and to the post-supplementation levels of the supplemented group (1.56 µmol/l; P=0.0003). There was significant difference in the prevalence of VAD in breast milk after supplementation, 55.6% (15/27) in the control group and 16.1% (5/31) in the supplemented group (P=0.002). VAD was present in 66.1% (39/59) of infants, with mean serum retinol levels of 0.64±0.30 µmol/l in the control group and of 0.69±0.26 µmol/l in the supplemented group. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation had a positive impact on maternal vitamin A status. No effect on infant status was detectable 2 months after supplementation with a single dose.

Improved treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis with fluconazole plus probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14.

AIMS: To determine the ability of probiotic lactobacilli to improve the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) using a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-five women diagnosed with VVC by vaginal discharge positive for Candida spp. (according to culture method) associated with at least one of the symptoms (itching and burning vaginal feeling, dyspareunia and dysuria), were treated with single dose of fluconazole (150 mg) supplemented every morning for the following 4 weeks with two placebo or two probiotic capsules (containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14). At 4 weeks, the probiotic treated group showed significantly less vaginal discharge associated with any of the above mentioned symptoms (10.3%vs 34.6%; P = 0.03) and lower presence of yeast detected by culture (10.3%vs 38.5%; P = 0.014). CONCLUSION: This study has shown that probiotic lactobacilli can increase the effectiveness of an anti-fungal pharmaceutical agent in curing disease. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This novel finding of probiotic lactobacilli augmenting the cure rate of yeast vaginitis, not only offers an alternative approach to a highly prevalent condition that adversely affects the quality of life of women around the world, but also raises the question of how this combination works.

[Incidence of cesarean section regarding the financial support source for delivery care]. / Incidência de cesáreas segundo fonte de financiamento da assistência ao parto.

OBJECTIVE: To study the types of delivery according to the category of patient admission and the most frequently reported indications for cesarean sections. METHODS: In a retrospective survey of deliveries performed in the municipality of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, from 1986 to 1995, the type of delivery, category of admission and recorded diagnoses were assessed. Data were obtained from the Center of Hospital Data Processing of the Department of Social Medicine in the University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto. RESULTS: A total of 86,120 deliveries were registered during the study period; 5.4% were allocated in the private category, 28.7% in the prepayment category, and 65.9% in the public health system (SUS). It was observed a decrease in the private and SUS categories and an increase in the prepayment category. During the study period, the percentage of cesarean deliveries increased from 68.3% to 81.8% in the private category and from 69.1% to 77.9% in the prepayment category, and decreased from 38.7% to 32.1% in the SUS category. The major indications for cesarean section were fetal distress, with the incidence of 9.5%, 10.9% and 9.0% in the private, prepayment and SUS categories, respectively; and cephalopelvic dystocia, at the rates of 5.8%, 6.5% and 3.9%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The incidence of cesarean section varied according to admission category, with a rising trend as the pregnant woman's social status increased, but without a correlation with the obstetrical risk.