Excretion of Vitamin A in Urine of Women during Normal Pregnancy and Pregnancy Complications

Vol. 48, No. 5, 2004

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Original Paper

Excretion of Vitamin A in Urine of Women during Normal Pregnancy and Pregnancy Complications
Jens Raila^a, Kerstin Wirth^a, Frank Chen^b, Ulrich Büscher^b, Joachim W. Dudenhausen^b, Florian J. Schweigert^a

^aInstitute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Nuthetal (Bergholz-Rehbrücke) and
^bDepartment of Obstetrics, Charité, Medical School of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Address of Corresponding Author

Ann Nutr Metab 2004;48:357-364 (DOI: 10.1159/000082003)

Key Words

Pregnancy, humans
Urine of pregnant women
Retinol
Retinol-binding protein
Vitamin A, excretion during pregnancy

Abstract

Background/Aims: The renal function, including the excretion of low-molecular-weight proteins, changes during pregnancy and may cause a urinary excretion of retinol-binding protein (RBP). Whether it is accompanied by a substantial loss of vitamin A (retinol) has not been established yet. We therefore determined the excretion of retinol and RBP in urine of pregnant women. Methods: The study involved analyses of urine samples from 40 healthy pregnant women and 29 women with pregnancy complications during the third trimester. Analyses of plasma and urine of 7 healthy women and 5 women with pregnancy complications were also carried out 6 weeks antepartum, at time of delivery and 1 week postpartum. Results: Urinary retinol was higher in women who suffered from pregnancy disorders with an influence on maternal metabolism (p < 0.01). RBP was excreted at substantial concentrations in the urine of all 69 women, but there were no differences between the groups. Women with a concomitant excretion of retinol had higher levels of urinary RBP than those without a retinol excretion (p < 0.05). Differences in plasma retinol and RBP were not significant. Conclusion: The excretion of urinary retinol may increase significantly during pregnancy complications, which needs further clarification to which extent this condition may negatively affect the vitamin A status in such women.

Author Contacts

Jens Raila
University of Potsdam, Institute of Nutritional Science
Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116
DE-14558 Nuthetal (Bergholz-Rehbrücke) (Germany)
Tel. +49 33 200 88532, Fax +49 33 200 88573, E-Mail jraila@z.uni-potsdam.de

Article Information

Received: December 9, 2003
Accepted: July 14, 2004
Published online: November 9, 2004
Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 4, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 39

Medline Abstract (ID 15542927)

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