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 μmol/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 μmol/L) and low erythrocyte folate (<283 nmol/L) was observed among 75.8%, 43.3% and 22.2% of women, respectively. The median (25(th), 75(th) percentile) dietary intake of vitamin B(12) was 1.25 (0.86, 1.96) μg/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 non-use of yoghurt [PR (95%CI) 1.63 (1.03, 2.58)], non-use of 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