Associations Between Maternal Vitamin B12 Levels, Sociodemographic Factors and Placental Weight: a Cross-Sectional Analysis in a Tertiary Hospital

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate whether serum vitamin B12 concentration is associated with placental weight and maternal sociodemographic characteristics in pregnant women who delivered in a tertiary hospital. A total of 497 pregnant women with a single foetus who had achieved 37 weeks gestational age were included in this cross-sectional study. All pregnant women were evaluated via a questionnaire about nutrition and dietary habits, weight gain during pregnancy, antenatal multivitamin supplementation and sociodemographic features. The serum vitamin B12 levels were measured in pregnant women, and their placentas were weighed immediately after delivery. Vitamin B12 deficiency was observed in about 79.5% of pregnant women, despite 63% of participants reporting the use of antenatal multivitamin supplements. Household economic status and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) were identified as significant factors associated with maternal vitamin B12 levels. Furthermore, household economic status and maternal age were found to be significant factors associated with placental weight. This study identified a high prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency among pregnant women with low family incomes. Moreover, it revealed a relationship between placental weight and household economic status. The findings also highlight that despite a relatively high rate of antenatal multivitamin supplementation, vitamin B12 deficiency remains a critical issue. No statistically significant relationship between placental weight and serum vitamin B12 concentration has been detected. Further large-scale and prospective studies are needed to establish the effect of maternal vitamin B12 levels on placental weight.