Low Vitamin B(12) level as a risk factor for very early recurrent abortion

To examine the relationship between Vitamin B(12) deficiency and early recurrent abortion (ERA) or very early recurrent abortion (VERA) abortion around 5 weeks of amenorrhea.

Serum B(12), folate and homocysteine levels were carried out in 110 consecutive women with unexplained ERA or VERA and in 96 women with one or more children and no abortion history.

Ten women were found to have low serum B(12) levels versus one in the control group. A total of 50% of these had raised homocysteine. No difference was noticed between cases and controls for folate. Among women with low serum B(12) level and ERA, 87.5% of the abortions were VERA. Vitamin B(12) supplementation led to four normal pregnancies in five women who became pregnant again. In a statistical analysis performed on five studies in which serum B(12) was assayed in ERA, including ours, a significant relationship was found between ERA and Vitamin B(12) deficiency.

Vitamin B(12) deficiency may be involved in ERA. Vitamin B(12) assay should be done in ERA women whether or not hematological abnormalities are present.