Relationship of Maternal Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 with birth weight and body proportion of newborn

Abstract

Vitamin B12 and folate are two important B vitamins that are related to normal fetal development and fetal growth because they act as co-enzyme for the synthesis of nucleic acid and take part in DNA replication and cell division. Reduced level of serum folate and vitamin B12 also results in hyperhomocysteinemia which causes IUGR. A cross sectional study was made in which 150 pregnant women were included according to set inclusion and exclusion criteria of the study. On the basis of anthropometric measurements (birth weight, birth length, OFC) of the newborn, study subjects were grouped into group-I those who delivered low birth weight babies and group-II those who delivered normal birth weight babies. Serum folate and vitamin B12 level were measured in all the study subjects after delivery. Maternal serum folate & vitamin B12 of group-I were significantly lower than that of group-II. Birth weight, length & OFC of newborns showed significant positive correlation with maternal serum folate & vitamin B12. The risk of lower serum folate was significant for lower weight (OR11.00, 95% CI 4.81-25.15), lower length (OR 3.67, 95% CI 1.42-9.47), lower OFC (OR 6.96, 95% CI 2.47-17.87). The risks of lower serum vitamin B12 were significant for lower weight (OR 4.09, 95% CI 1.67-10.00), lower length (OR 4.83, 95%CI 2.28-10.22), lower OFC (OR 4.11, 95%CI 1.97- 8.54). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jdnmch.v18i1.12224 J. Dhaka National Med. Coll. Hos. 2012; 18 (01): 7-11