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Vitamin B 12 Status in Women of Reproductive Age, NHANES 2013–2014
Author(s) -
Fothergill Amy,
Finkelstein Julia
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.lb439
Subject(s) - medicine , pregnancy , national health and nutrition examination survey , physiology , vitamin d and neurology , vitamin , urine , logistic regression , obstetrics , gynecology , population , environmental health , biology , genetics
Objective This analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence of vitamin B 12 insufficiency among women of reproductive age who participated in NHANES 2013–2014. Methods Women were eligible for inclusion in this analysis if they participated in (NHANES 2013–2014), attended the mobile examination clinic (MEC), had serum vitamin B 12 concentrations assessed, and were between 15 and 49 years of age. In the 2013–2014 NHANES sample, women aged 20 to 44 years were eligible for physical examination at the MEC and were classified as pregnant ( via urine pregnancy test at MEC; n=61), lactating (i.e., self‐reported through interview; n=39), or non‐pregnant, non‐lactating (n=1,073). Serum vitamin B 12 concentrations were assessed via chemiluminescence. Vitamin B 12 deficiency and insufficiency were defined as less than 148 pmol/L and less than 221 pmol/L, respectively. Marginal vitamin B 12 status was defined as 3 148 pmol/L and <221 pmol/L. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine vitamin B 12 concentrations and the prevalence of vitamin B 12 deficiency and insufficiency in pregnant and lactating women, compared to non‐pregnant non‐lactating women .Results A total of 1,173 women of reproductive age were included in this analysis. A total of 13.3% (n=156) and 2.6% (n=30) were vitamin B 12 insufficient and deficient, respectively. Among pregnant women, 21.3% were vitamin B 12 insufficient (<221 pmol/L) and 6.6% were classified as vitamin B 12 deficient, with an average of 333.9 pmol/L (95% CI: 282.91, 384.89). Among non‐pregnant, non‐lactating women, 13.1% were vitamin B 12 insufficient and 2.33% were classified as vitamin B 12 deficient, with an average of 419.5 pmol/L (95% CI: 385.27, 453.68). Among lactating women, 7.69% were vitamin B 12 insufficient and 2.56% were classified as vitamin B 12 deficient, with an average of 497.65 pmol/L (95% CI: 434.5, 560.79). There were no statistically significant differences in vitamin B 12 concentrations or the prevalence of vitamin B 12 deficiency and insufficiency in pregnant and lactating women, compared to non‐pregnant non‐lactating women .Conclusions The prevalence of vitamin B 12 insufficiency was relatively high among pregnant and non‐pregnant women of reproductive age in the United States.