Serum Vitamin B12 Level: Physiological Effects in Pregnancy

Abstract

Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin), a water-soluble vitamin is an essential nutrient required for maintenance of normal erythropoiesis, nucleoprotein and myelin synthesis, cell reproduction and normal growth. Vitamin B12 is a necessary cofactor in the methionine synthase reaction, which converts homocysteine into methionine. During pregnancy, Vitamin B12 is concentrated in the fetus mostly in the liver. Vitamin B12 deficiency is rare in the infant up to 4 months if mothers receive adequate Vitamin B12.^[1,2]