Prevalence of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Early Pregnancy and its Association with Preterm Birth: A Prospective Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Vitamin B12 deficiency during pregnancy has been associated with various adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in early pregnancy and its association with preterm birth among pregnant women attending a tertiary hospital in India. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study included 236 pregnant women between 14 and 20 weeks of gestation. Serum vitamin B12 levels were measured using the Electro Chemi-Luminescence-Immuno-Assay method, with deficiency defined as levels <200 pg/ml. Gestational age at delivery was recorded, and preterm birth was defined as delivery before 37 completed weeks of gestation. The association between vitamin B12 deficiency and preterm birth was analyzed using the chi-square test. Results: The mean serum vitamin B12 level was 231.0556 pg/ml (SD 104.2277), with 32.63% of the participants being deficient. The prevalence of preterm birth was 15.25%. A significant association was found between vitamin B12 deficiency and preterm birth (p=0.015732), with 50% of the women who had preterm deliveries being deficient in vitamin B12, compared to 29.50% of the women who had term deliveries. Conclusion: This study found a high prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in early pregnancy and a significant association between vitamin B12 deficiency and preterm birth among pregnant women in India. The findings highlight the importance of screening for vitamin B12 deficiency in early pregnancy and the need for interventions to improve vitamin B12 status among pregnant women, particularly in developing countries.