Maternal morbidity and mortality and deficiency diseases: avitaminosis A

Men and women share deficiency situations, and Vitamin A deficiency is very common, gradually showing itself as night blindness, xerophthalmia, total blindness and finally death.

The infant population and pregnant women are the highest risk groups. Vitamin A deficiency greatly increases during the last three months of pregnancy, and in some areas of Asia it is so common to find women with night blindness that it is considered a normal physiological changed linked to pregnancy.

In Sri Lanka, as in most Southeast Asian countries, development programmes for Vitamin A supplements are a priority for boys and girls between 6 and 59 months. During 2009-2013, 72% were covered.