Final answer:
Preterm infants often have low stores of vitamin A, which is essential for immune system development and vision. The insufficient gestational period prevents adequate accumulation of nutrient stores, making such deficiencies more likely.
Step-by-step explanation:
In preterm infants, vitamin A is commonly found to have low stores. This is particularly concerning because vitamin A is critical for the development of the immune system in young children and its deficiency can have serious health implications. Vitamin A deficiency can adversely affect the immune system, leading to a higher susceptibility to infections, contribute to anemia, and cause visual impairments, including night blindness to total blindness. Preterm infants are at a greater risk of such deficiencies because their stores of nutrients are accumulated during early pregnancy, which are then utilized to support rapid growth and development, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy. With an inadequate gestation period, these stores may not be sufficient, resulting in low vitamin A levels at birth.