Research Article
Rizki Nurmalya Kardina, Bamban
Abstract
Zinc and high-dose vitamin A supplementation in the malnutrition pregnant women in third trimester could increase retinol and zinc levels in breast milk. This research applied an experimental design of double blind randomized tests (pre-test and post-test) on two groups (trial and control groups) to analyze the effect of zinc and high-dose vitamin A supplementation. Variables of interest were measured two times, pre-test and post-test. Data were collected through questionnaire-based interviews, laboratory tests of blood samples and breast milk. Based on the inclusion criteria, 32 malnutrition pregnant women were selected as samples. The sample was randomly assigned to two groups, trial and control groups. Based on t-tests, the effects of supplementation were analyzed. The results showed that there was no significant differences of zinc (p < 0.386) and retinol levels (p < 0.948) of breast milk between pre and post-tests within control group and trial group. The conclusion is there was no difference on zinc and retinol levels of breast milk between the control and trial groups. These results suggested that zinc and high-dose vitamin A supplementation has no effect to retinol and zinc levels of breast milk in the control and trial groups.