Should infant girls receive micronutrient supplements?

Christine Stabell Benn, Sofia Lantz, Ane Fisker, Mathias Jul Jørgensen, Peter Aaby

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We have proposed the hypothesis that the combination of vitamin A supplementation and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccination may be associated with increased mortality in girls. Recent zinc/folic acid (FA) and iron supplementation trials did not find any beneficial effects on mortality. We reviewed the studies for evidence of a negative interaction between zinc/folic acid/iron and DTP vaccination in girls.

METHODS: Based on the published papers, we calculated age- and sex-specific mortality estimates. No vaccination status data were provided.

RESULTS: Both zinc/FA and iron seemed to have a sex- and age-differential effect, the effect being less beneficial in the youngest girls who are most likely to have DTP vaccine as their most recent vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS: Like vitamin A, zinc/FA and iron may not benefit the youngest girls. The question is whether this is inherent in girls or due to an interaction with some environmental factor like DTP.

Original languageEnglish
JournalInternational Journal of Epidemiology
Volume38
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)586-90
Number of pages5
ISSN0300-5771
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2009

Keywords

  • Age Factors
  • Child Mortality
  • Child, Preschool
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine
  • Drug Interactions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant Mortality
  • Iron
  • Male
  • Micronutrients
  • Sex Factors
  • Vitamin A
  • Zinc
  • Journal Article
  • Review

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