Serum levels of iron, folic acid and vitamin B 12 in the maternal and cord blood in the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia
Sindhu, S.S.
Indian Pediatrics 11(12): 775-780
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 4448540 Document Number: 70994
A total of 338 pregnant Chinese, Malay and Indian women in Kuala Lumpur were given supplements of Fe alone or with folic acid, or no treatment. Serum Fe was lowest with no treatment and was lower in untreated Malays and Indians than in untreated Chinese. Serum folacin was significantly more in the women given folic acid supplements than in the other groups. Low values were more prevalent in Malays and Indians than in Chinese. Serum vitamin B-12 was high in all groups. Values for Fe and the 2 vitamins in cord blood of infants were higher than those in the mothers; serum Fe in the infant did not seem to be related to treatment of the mother with Fe. High serum folacin in most infants was related to high values in the mothers but some infants had values greater than 100 pg/ml although their mothers had very low values.