Prevalence of Vitamin B12 Deficiency Among Pregnant Women in Samsun Province of Turkey

Abstract

Purpose: Vitamin B12 deficiency in infancy can cause severe demyelinating central nervous system disorder. Most cases are exclusively breast-fed infants born to mothers with deficient vitamin B12 stores. As maternal vitamin B12 stores are the main determinant of neonatal vitamin B12 status, we aimed to determine the vitamin B12 status of pregnant women at term in our region. Material and Methods: Serum vitamin B12, folate and plasma homocysteine concentrations in addition to routine testings were measured 1-24 hour(s) before delivery in 62 pregnant women. Besides, infants born to mothers with laboratory evidence of vitamin B12 deficiency were referred to pediatric hematology unit for evaluation. Results: Thirty-six (58.1%) women had a low serum vitamin B12 level (<200 pg/ml). The mean plasma homocysteine was found as 6.82 +/- 2.38 mu mol/L. Among the 36 neonates whose mothers had a low serum vitamin B12 before delivery, 20 were admitted for examination. Plasma hcy level was not available in four infants. In the remaining 16, 13 (81.3%) had both a decreased vitamin B12 level (<259 pg/ml), and an elevated homocysteine concentration (>9.99 mu mol/L). All of the 20 infants examined had normal neurodevelopmental findings. Vitamin B12 supplementation resulted in normalization of vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels in all the cases. Conclusion: The frequency of neonatal vitamin B12 deficiency secondary to maternal deficiency may be higher than thought in Samsun province of Turkey. Large-scale screening studies may reveal its prevalence more accurately, and may help in taking preventive measurements more effectively.