Vitamin A status and its relationship with serum zinc concentrations among pregnant women who have previously undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate vitamin A status and its relationship with serum zinc concentrations among pregnant women who had previously undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), correlating these measures with anthropometric maternal characteristics and perinatal outcomes.


METHODS
An analytical prospective longitudinal study was conducted at a clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between March 3, 2008, and March 30, 2012, among women with singleton pregnancies who had previously undergone RYGB. Participants received daily oral supplementation with 5000 IU retinol and 15 mg zinc. Variables assessed included vitamin A status (serum retinol and β-carotene; gestational night blindness), serum zinc concentration, maternal anthropometry, complications during pregnancy, and perinatal outcomes.


RESULTS
Overall, 30 women participated. In all trimesters, more than 60% had inadequate serum levels of retinol or β-carotene. Night blindness was reported by 17 (57%) women in each trimester. Only 6 (20%) women had zinc inadequacy in the first and third trimesters. No significant association was observed between serum retinol or zinc and maternal anthropometry and birth weight. Vitamin A deficiency was associated with urinary tract infection (first trimester, P=0.020) and dumping syndrome (third trimester, P=0.013).


CONCLUSION
Despite RYGB and nutritional deficiencies (especially of vitamin A and zinc) increasing risks during pregnancy, there was no apparent fetal compromise when considering the analysis of birth weight and length of pregnancy at birth.
['Chagas|Cristiane|C|', 'Saunders|Cláudia|C|', 'Pereira|Silvia|S|', 'Silva|Jacqueline|J|', 'Saboya|Carlos|C|', 'Ramalho|Andréa|A|']
D000328:Adult D000886:Anthropometry D001724:Birth Weight D001938:Brazil D005260:Female D015390:Gastric Bypass D006801:Humans D007231:Infant, Newborn D008137:Longitudinal Studies D009755:Night Blindness D011247:Pregnancy D011248:Pregnancy Complications D011256:Pregnancy Outcome D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters D011446:Prospective Studies D014801:Vitamin A D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency D015032:Zinc D019207:beta Carotene
Vitamin A Zinc Roux-en-Y gastric bypass Perinatal outcomes Pregnancy Obesity