Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Universiti Kebangsaan
Malaysia (UKM) Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Department of Biomedical Sciences, Universiti Putra
Malaysia (UPM) Selangor, Malaysia | Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Universiti
Putra Malaysia (UPM) Selangor, Malaysia
Note: [] Corresponding author: Jaafar Rohana, MD,
Department of Pediatrics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Medical Centre,
Jalan Yaacob Latif, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel.: +603 9145 7822; Fax:
+603 9173 7827; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Objective: To determine the effect of maternal antenatal vitamin E
supplementation on neonatal jaundice. Methods: A randomized double blind
controlled trial assessing the role of vitamin E in the prevention of
preeclampsia was conducted in a tertiary hospital over two years. From
12–16 weeks gestation until delivery, primigravida mothers with singleton
pregnancies received either 100 mg daily vitamin E in the form of tocotrienol
rich fraction, or placebo. The newborns were assessed for jaundice. Results: Among 262 infants, 136 were in the vitamin E group and 126 in the
placebo group. The incidence of neonatal jaundice was similar: 38% (54/136)
in the vitamin E group and 36% (45/126) in the placebo group (p= 0.10).
Nevertheless, the vitamin E group had a tendency for lower peak serum
bilirubin, although not significantly so. Conclusion: Maternal antenatal vitamin E supplementation had no effect on the incidence of neonatal
jaundice.
Keywords: Antenatal, vitamin E, neonatal, jaundice
