Marginal maternal vitamin B12 status increases the risk of offspring with spina bifida.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate B vitamins and homocysteine as risk factor for offspring with spina bifida.


METHODS
Blood samples from 45 mothers and their children with spina bifida and from 83 control mothers and their children were obtained to determine the levels of serum and red blood cell folate, serum vitamin B(12), whole blood vitamin B(6), and total plasma homocysteine.


RESULTS
In the case mothers, the vitamin B(12) concentration was 21% lower (95% CI, 8%-33%) compared with control mothers. Unlike folate, vitamin B(6,) and homocysteine, a vitamin B(12) concentration of <or=185 pmol/L was associated with a 3.5-fold (95% CI, 1.3- 8.9) spina bifida risk. In children, no differences in folate, vitamin B(6), vitamin B(12), and homocysteine concentrations were observed after adjustment for the child's age.


CONCLUSIONS
A marginal maternal vitamin B(12) status increases the risk of an offspring with spina bifida.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Pascal M W
PM
Groenen
Iris A L M
IA
van Rooij
Petronella G M
PG
Peer
Rob H
RH
Gooskens
Gerhard A
GA
Zielhuis
Régine P M
RP
Steegers-Theunissen
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*; D025101:Vitamin B 6 / Q000097:blood
D006710:Homocysteine; D025101:Vitamin B 6; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12