Infants who are fully or partially breastfed should be supplemented with which vitamin and dose shortly after birth?

Infants who are fully or partially breastfed should be supplemented with which vitamin and dose shortly after birth?

• A. Vitamin D 400IU daily
• B. Vitamin D 200IU daily
• C. Vitamin C 10 mg daily
• D. Iron supplementation 1 mg/kg daily

Answer: (A)

Infants who are fully or partially breastfed should receive vitamin D supplementation because breast milk provides very little vitamin D, while a growing infant needs about 400 IU daily. Start this 400 IU per day soon after birth and continue throughout breastfeeding to prevent vitamin D deficiency and rickets. The other options don’t fit this purpose: a smaller 200 IU dose isn’t enough, vitamin C isn’t used for this routine preventive need, and routine iron supplementation at birth isn’t indicated for healthy term infants and doesn’t replace vitamin D supplementation.

Infants who are fully or partially breastfed should receive vitamin D supplementation because breast milk provides very little vitamin D, while a growing infant needs about 400 IU daily. Start this 400 IU per day soon after birth and continue throughout breastfeeding to prevent vitamin D deficiency and rickets. The other options don’t fit this purpose: a smaller 200 IU dose isn’t enough, vitamin C isn’t used for this routine preventive need, and routine iron supplementation at birth isn’t indicated for healthy term infants and doesn’t replace vitamin D supplementation.