title: Vitamin B12 and folate statuses are associated with diet in pregnant women, but not with anthropometric measurements in term newborns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the frequencies of vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies in pregnant women in low socioeconomic group, the relation between the animal-source foods consumption and maternal vitamin B12-folate statuses, and their impacts on anthropometric measurements of the infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 208 pregnant women in the last trimester were included in the study. A questionnaire about socio-demographic status, consumption of meat, egg, milk-dairy products, multivitamin supplementation was used. Vitamin B(12) and folate concentrations were studied by chemiluminescence method. The babies of Vitamin B(12) deficient mothers were evaluated after birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of vitamin B(12) deficiency was 47.6% and folate deficiency was 17.3% of pregnant women. Animal food consumption was inadequate about half of pregnant women and vitamin B(12) levels in these women were significantly low. There were no statistically significant relationships between the birth weight, birth length and head circumference measurements, and maternal vitamin B(12) and folate concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rate of vitamin B12 deficiency in pregnant women in low socioeconomic population is high. Although there were no significant effects of the vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies on birth size, additional studies are required to elucidate the subsequent effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, The Ministry of Health Tepecik Teaching and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. oyahalicioglu@yahoo.com.tr
authors.forename: Oya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Halicioglu
authors.forename: Sumer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sutcuoglu
authors.forename: Feyza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koc
authors.forename: Can
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Esin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Albudak
authors.forename: Ayfer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colak
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: Sezin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asik Akman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D037841:Pregnant People; D047929:Term Birth / Q000502:physiology; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D014806:Vitamin B 12 Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12