Vitamin E helps protect the newborn from oxidative stress.
Premature babies are usually low in vitamin E. Natural and synthetic vitamin E are not the same. Previous research has shown that natural vitamin E is better retained and more biologically active than synthetic. To identify the kind of vitamin E in a supplement, it is necessary to read the ingredients listed on the label. The dosage given ranged from 15 to 300 international units. At delivery, the researchers found nearly twice the concentration of the natural vitamin E in the mothers' blood and nearly 3.5 times the amount of natural vitamin E in their placental cords than the synthetic vitamin E, regardless of the amount given.