Vitamin B-12 Intake and Status in Early Pregnancy among Urban South Indian Women

Aim: To evaluate the vitamin B-12 status of South Indian women in early pregnancy and its relationship with sociodemographic, anthropometry and dietary intake. Methods: Cross-sectional study among 366 pregnant urban South Indian women <= 14 weeks of gestation with outcome variables defined as low vitamin B-12 blood concentration (<150 pmol/l) and impaired vitamin B-12 status [low vitamin B-12 plus elevated methylmalonic acid (MMA) >0.26 mu mol/l)]. Results: Low plasma vitamin B-12 concentration was observed in 51.1% of the women, while 42.4% had impaired B-12 status. Elevated MMA, elevated homocysteine (>10 mu mol/l) and low erythrocyte folate (<283 nmol/l) were observed among 75.8, 43.3 and 22.2% of the women, respectively. The median (25th, 75th percentile) dietary intake of vitamin B-12 was 1.25 (0.86, 1.96) mu g/day. Lower maternal body weight was associated with higher vitamin B-12 concentration [prevalence ratios (PR) (95% CI) 0.57 (0.39, 0.84)]. The predictors of impaired vitamin B-12 status were no consumption of yoghurt [PR (95% CI) 1.63 (1.03, 2.58)] or fish [PR (95% CI) 1.32 (1.01, 1.71)] and primiparity [PR (95% CI) 1.41 (1.05, 1.90)]. Conclusion: A high prevalence of vitamin B-12 deficiency in early pregnancy among urban South Indian women was related to primiparity and to a low consumption of yoghurt and fish. Copyright (C) 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel