Delivery induces a considerable physiological inflammatory response, with a distinct acute phase response, of the same magnitude as seen for instance in pulmonary tuberculosis patients. We believe that the lack of effect of the current practice of giving a high dose vitamin A supplement directly post-partum is due to the acute phase response induced by the delivery, and that the intervention would be successful if the supplementation was given after the acute phase response has faded away after 3 - 6 weeks. There is currently no data available on the vitamin A bioavailability in lactating women, but a study in Zambian pre-school children investigated the effectiveness of a high dose vitamin A supplementation campaign in children, and showed that this was only successful in children without inflammation. Children who had signs of inflammation had no increase in vitamin A status. Inflammation and the accompanying acute phase response are also known to affect the availability of other micronutrients besides vitamin A, such as iron and zinc.