ABSTRACT
The serum concentration of vitamin A (VA) and B-carotene were determined in 50 healthy pregnant women in the later trimesters and parturition, their newborns and 20 non-pregnant women. In the meantime the contents of placental tissues were determined too. The results showed; 1. The serum VA content(2.17 umol/L, 62ug/dl)of pregnant women in the later trimesters was higher than that of non-pregnant women (1.37umol/L, 39ug/dl), but it decreased immediately after delivery. 2. There was no significant def-ference of the serum B-carotene concentration between the pregnant women and non-pregnant women. 3. The cord blood VA and B-carotene contents were much lower than those of maternal blood. 4. The contents of B-caro-tene in placentas were 9.6 times as much as VA. 5. The efficiency of transport of B-carotene from maternal blood to placental tissue was higher than that of VA, and lower than that from placenta to cord blood.