Disclosed herein are nutritional compositions for pregnant or lactating mothers, pre-term and term infants, toddlers and children which include natural vitamin E, a long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) and a carotenoid such as lutein. Also disclosed are methods of administering these compositions for reducing or preventing the susceptibility of the fetal and newborn brain and lungs to hypoxia and the resulting disorders resulting therefrom including abnormal cognitive development, brain in jury and lung injury.
