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Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
03:19

Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

414

Correlation between maternal and infant vitamin B12 levels in severe malnutrition in infants under 6 months

Arushi Singhal1, Anurag Singh1, Damini Sharma1

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Dr SN Medical College and Hospital, Jodhpur, India.

Irish Journal of Medical Science
|March 11, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Maternal and infant serum vitamin B12 levels are positively correlated in malnourished infants aged 1-6 months. This highlights the need for targeted nutrition interventions for mothers and babies to improve health outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Nutritional Science
  • Pediatric Health
  • Maternal Health

Background:

  • Malnutrition is a global health concern, especially for infants under six months.
  • Vitamin B12 is crucial for infant neurological development and overall maternal-infant health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between maternal and infant serum vitamin B12 levels in severely malnourished infants (1-6 months).
  • To assess this correlation in tertiary care hospitals in western Rajasthan.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 110 mother-infant pairs.
  • Participants were recruited from a Nutrition Rehabilitation Center in Rajasthan, India.
  • Simple random sampling was employed after ethical approval.

Main Results:

  • Severe malnutrition was most prevalent in infants aged 1-2 months.
  • A significant positive correlation was observed between maternal and infant serum vitamin B12 levels (p < 0.001).
  • Exclusive breastfeeding showed a positive correlation with age-appropriate milestones (p = 0.033).

Conclusions:

  • The study underscores the critical link between maternal and infant vitamin B12 status.
  • Targeted nutritional interventions focusing on vitamin B12 are essential for maternal and infant well-being.
Abstract

Keywords:
BreastfeedingMalnutritionMilestonesVitamin B12

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