The effect of pregnancy upon metabolism is reflected in various ways, notably in the changes in concentration of many blood components (1,2,3). The manner in which pregnancy affects the blood levels of the vitamins has been studied in detail only in the case of vitamin C (4, 5). In view of several recent studies on the regulation of the plasma level of vitamin A (6 to 9), it was considered of value to investigate systematically the concentration of this vitamin during the course of pregnancy.
EXPERIMENTALPlasma vitamin A and carotene determinations were carried out in 120 women at various stages of pregnancy. In 12 of these, the blood plasma was analyzed at some time during the first 2 trimesters and again in the ninth month. The subjects were advised to eat their usual diets and a record of their dietary intake, especially with regard to vitamin A-containing foods, was kept. No carotene or vitamin A concentrates were added to the diet.
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