The Frequency of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Newborns and Its Relationship with Methylmalonic Acid
| Author | Şeyma Acıkgoz | en |
| Author | Kamil Sahin | en |
| Author | Tahir Aydin | en |
| Author | Murat Elevli | en |
| Author | Macit Koldas | en |
| Author | Berker Okay | en |
| Orcid | Şeyma Acıkgoz [0009-0005-7518-4769] | en |
| Orcid | Kamil Sahin [0000-0002-0443-2148] | en |
| Orcid | Tahir Aydin [0000-0002-6336-6398] | en |
| Orcid | Murat Elevli [0000-0002-0510-965X] | en |
| Orcid | Macit Koldas [0000-0001-8967-2708] | en |
| Orcid | Berker Okay [0000-0002-1506-9110] | en |
| Issued Date | 2026-04-30 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is a water-soluble vitamin required for central nervous system development and myelination, as well as for the maturation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. If the mother is B12-deficient, the infant’s stores will be inadequate, leading to an earlier onset of deficiency signs. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of B12 deficiency in newborns during the early neonatal period, to identify the lowest B12 threshold that may prompt an increase in methylmalonic acid (MMA), and to investigate the relationship between maternal and neonatal B12 levels. Methods: Mother-infant dyads who presented for delivery between November 2023 and June 2024 were screened. Newborns above 34 weeks of gestation were divided into three groups based on their serum B12 levels: Less than 200, 200 - 399, and greater than 400 pg/mL. Serum MMA was measured in newborns with B12 levels between 200 and 399 pg/mL. B12 levels were also measured in the mothers of newborns with B12 levels below 199 pg/mL. Results: Serum B12 levels of 656 newborns participating in the study were classified as low (0 - 199 pg/mL; n = 166, 25.4%), borderline (200 - 399 pg/mL; n = 370, 56.4%), and normal (≥ 400 pg/mL; n = 120, 18.2%). MMA was checked in 76 of 370 babies whose vitamin B12 values were 200-399 pg/mL. While MMA was high in 6 babies, the B12 values of these babies were as low as 206 pg/mL and as high as 367 pg/mL. In our study, a total of 52 vitamin B12 levels were measured from mothers; 28 of the 166 mothers whose infants' vitamin B12 levels were < 200 pg/mL also had vitamin B12 levels < 200 pg/mL, 21 had levels between 200 and 399 pg/mL, and 3 had levels above 400 pg/mL. Conclusions: We found that vitamin B12 was low in 25.4% of newborns and borderline in 56.4%. In this case, it is important to check the B12 status of pregnant women and, for patients with low vitamin B12 levels, to protect newborns by giving them B12-containing vitamins. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpediatr-166866 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/ijp/articles/166866 | en |
| Keyword | B12 Vitamin Deficiency | en |
| Keyword | Methylmalonic Acid | en |
| Keyword | Mother | en |
| Keyword | Newborn | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | The Frequency of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Newborns and Its Relationship with Methylmalonic Acid | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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