Researchers at Kathmandu Medical College found that taking vitamin B12 supplements during pregnancy was not associated with improved infant neurodevelopment. Research published in the journal Lancet.
Vitamin B12 is critical for various physiological processes in the human body, especially neurological ones. Adequate vitamin levels during pregnancy and early infancy are important for improving pregnancy outcomes and infant growth and neurodevelopment.
The new study included 800 pregnant women from Nepal, ages 20 to 40, whose pregnancy did not exceed 15 weeks. At baseline, 569 women (71%) had blood vitamin B12 levels below 221 pmol/L, consistent with deficiency. The women were divided into two groups: the first took 50 micrograms of vitamin B12 per day and the second took a placebo.
Supplementation significantly increased maternal vitamin B12 levels, but did not significantly affect infant growth and development. The results of the study support the current pregnancy guidelines published by the World Health Organization (WHO) that it is not necessary to take vitamin B12 during pregnancy.