FOLIC ACID AND VITAMIN B12 LEVELS IN PREGNANCY AND THEIR RELATION TO MEGALOBLASTIC ANAEMIA

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Hematology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Serum folic acid and vitamin B12 levels naturally decrease during pregnancy.
• This decline is more pronounced in twin pregnancies and in women with megaloblastic anemia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the changes in serum folic acid and vitamin B12 levels during pregnancy.
• To correlate these vitamin levels with the presence and severity of megaloblastic anemia.
• To evaluate the diagnostic specificity of the labile folic acid factor test.

Main Methods:

• Measurement of serum folic acid and vitamin B12 concentrations in pregnant women.
• Assessment of bone marrow megaloblastic changes.
• Determination of the labile folic acid factor.

Main Results:

• Serum folic acid and vitamin B12 levels were significantly lower in pregnant women with megaloblastic anemia compared to controls.
• The degree of bone marrow megaloblastosis correlated with the severity of vitamin deficiency.
• The labile folic acid factor test demonstrated high specificity, distinguishing megaloblastic anemia cases from normal pregnancies.

Conclusions:

• Pregnancy-induced vitamin deficiencies, particularly folic acid, are linked to megaloblastic anemia.
• The labile folic acid factor test is a specific diagnostic marker for megaloblastic anemia in pregnancy.
• Vitamin B12 levels can improve with folic acid therapy alone in some cases of megaloblastic anemia.