Vitamin B12 status in term pregnant women and the cord blood samples of their newborns: A cross-sectional study.

This article focuses on the assessment of total vitamin B12 (Vit B12) and its biologically active form (active B12) levels in term pregnant Indian mothers and their newborns’ cord blood. The study found a high prevalence of total Vit B12 deficiency (89%) and active B12 deficiency (36.7%) in mothers, while cord blood showed lower deficiency rates (53% for total Vit B12 and 9.3% for active B12), indicating active transfer of Vit B12 from mother to fetus. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that higher maternal total and active B12 levels significantly predicted higher corresponding levels in cord blood. These findings suggest that despite widespread maternal deficiency, the fetus may be partially protected through placental transfer of Vit B12, underscoring the influence of maternal Vit B12 status on neonatal levels.