Summary

This study, conducted by several American, Tanzanian, and Canadian research institutes, aimed to investigate whether daily oral supplementation with vitamin A and/or zinc can reduce the risk of placental malaria and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Placental malaria is a life-threatening illness caused primarily by infection with a malaria-causing parasite. 2500 pregnant women were divided into four groups of each 625 participants. One group received only a vitamin A supplement, one group received only zinc supplementation, one group received both vitamins A and zinc, and the fourth group received a placebo until delivery. The results showed that zinc supplementation had particularly beneficial effects on the subjects and led to fewer placental malaria cases. More details can be found in the study.

References

Darling et al.

 

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