Could a daily vitamin pill fortify breast milk for the tiniest babies?
NCT ID NCT07736768
First seen Jul 30, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Preterm infants are born with low vitamin A stores and rely on breast milk to meet their needs, putting them at risk for deficiency. This trial tests whether giving mothers of very preterm infants (born before 29 weeks) a daily high-dose vitamin A supplement for four months can increase vitamin A levels in their breast milk. Researchers will measure vitamin A concentrations in milk samples collected at two weeks, two months, and four months after birth to see if this simple approach works.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- an oral multivitamin supplement containing 1,300 mcg RAE of vitamin A taken daily
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple way to improve the nutritional quality of breast milk for preterm infants, potentially reducing vitamin A deficiency and related health issues.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early-stage trial with only 20 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The supplement may not significantly raise vitamin A levels in breast milk, or the effect may vary among mothers.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 45 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Mothers aged 18 to 45 years Delivered an infant born at less than 29 weeks' gestation Intending to provide breast milk for at least 4 months postpartum Willing and able to swallow oral tablets Willing to comply with study procedures, including blood draws and breast milk collection at scheduled time points Able to provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Age less than 18 or greater than 45 years Contraindications to breastfeeding or inability to provide breast milk Known liver disease or conditions affecting vitamin A metabolism (e.g., chronic liver disease, known hypervitaminosis A) Baseline elevated vitamin A levels above the normal reference range Multiple gestation pregnancy (if you intend to exclude this-remove if not required) Known substance use disorder that may interfere with adherence or safety Infants with major congenital anomalies or known syndromic conditions Maternal refusal or inability to provide informed consent Planned discontinuation of breastfeeding within 4 months postpartum
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi, 39216, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a bacterial extract shield preterm babies from lung infections?
- Parents take the syringe: a new way to feed premature babies
- Stool test may flag deadly gut disease in premature babies
- A Mother's words on a milk bag: a simple act that may deepen the bond with a premature baby
- Can a wearable sensor read breast fullness and milk flow?
- What shapes breast milk? a deep dive into its composition