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Objective: To investigate the frequencies of vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies in pregnant women in low socioeconomic group, the relation between the animal-source foods consumption and maternal vitamin B12-folate statuses, and their impacts on anthropometric measurements of the infants. Methods: A total of 208 pregnant women in the last trimester were included in the study. A questionnaire about socio-demographic status, consumption of meat, egg, milk-dairy products, multivitamin supplementation was used. Vitamin B12 and folate concentrations were studied by chemiluminescence method. The babies of Vitamin B12 deficient mothers were evaluated after birth. Results: The rate of vitamin B12 deficiency was 47.6% and folate deficiency was 17.3% of pregnant women. Animal food consumption was inadequate about half of pregnant women and vitamin B12 levels in these women were significantly low. There were no statistically significant relationships between the birth weight, birth length and head circumference measurements, and maternal vitamin B12 and folate concentrations. Conclusion: The rate of vitamin B12 deficiency in pregnant women in low socioeconomic population is high. Although there were no significant effects of the vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies on birth size, additional studies are required to elucidate the subsequent effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Calcium supplementation during pregnancy was suggested to affect fetal growth. We aimed to investigate the association between calcium and phosphorus in cord blood and birth size parameters in term infants., Methods: The study included 70 pregnant women and their neonates. Birth weight, birth length and head circumference of the neonates were measured. Cord blood samples were obtained at delivery. Maternal and cord blood calcium, phosphorus and parathyroid hormone were measured. The association between variables was evaluated with Pearson correlation coefficient., Results: Cord blood calcium levels were significantly positively correlated with birth weight, birth length and head circumference (r=0.308 P=0.009, r=0.324 P=0.006, r=0.296 P=0.013 respectively). Cord phosphorus was significantly positively correlated with birth length (r=0.358 P=0.002). In subjects with higher phosphorus levels cord calcium were more strongly correlated with birth weight, birth length and head circumference than in the overall group (r=0.487 P=0.003, r=0.515 P=0.002, r=0.396 P=0.018 respectively)., Conclusions: Cord blood calcium and phosphorus levels are associated with birth size parameters. There may be interactions between calcium and phosphorus to affect fetal growth.

Objective: To investigate the frequencies of vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies in pregnant women in low socioeconomic group, the relation between the animal-source foods consumption and maternal vitamin B12-folate statuses, and their impacts on anthropometric measurements of the infants., Methods: A total of 208 pregnant women in the last trimester were included in the study. A questionnaire about socio-demographic status, consumption of meat, egg, milk-dairy products, multivitamin supplementation was used. Vitamin B(12) and folate concentrations were studied by chemiluminescence method. The babies of Vitamin B(12) deficient mothers were evaluated after birth., Results: The rate of vitamin B(12) deficiency was 47.6% and folate deficiency was 17.3% of pregnant women. Animal food consumption was inadequate about half of pregnant women and vitamin B(12) levels in these women were significantly low. There were no statistically significant relationships between the birth weight, birth length and head circumference measurements, and maternal vitamin B(12) and folate concentrations., Conclusion: The rate of vitamin B12 deficiency in pregnant women in low socioeconomic population is high. Although there were no significant effects of the vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies on birth size, additional studies are required to elucidate the subsequent effects.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between clinical findings and the most common mutated alleles of MEFV gene in a childhood population and to determine the sensitivity of the 12-mutation-strip assay test in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Records of 452 FMF children living in western Anatolia, Turkey, (12.3 ± 4.7 years mean) were retrospectively reviewed. Of the 408 patients who met the Tel-Hashomer criteria, 364 were classified into two main groups (two-mutant/one-mutant allele) either of which had three subgroups. The two-mutant allele frequency was 51% and one-mutant allele 38%; 1% had complex-mutant alleles and 10% no mutant-alleles. The mean severity score was 8.3 ± 2.5. Most common clinical features were fever (81.9%), abdominal pain (86.3%) and myalgia (58.8%), and the least common ones: diarrhea (1.7%), protracted febrile myalgia (1.2%) and acute orchitis (1.5%). We detected 33 different genotypes of the MEFV gene: the most common mutant allele was M694V followed by symptomatic allele mutation of E148Q. Although not significantly associated with clinical findings, P369S mutation was not rare (7.5%). Phenotype-genotype correlation revealed that patients with two-allele mutations had more severe clinical presentation and high constipation rate (22.5%); 32.6% of patients with M694V/M694V had splenomegaly. Acute orchitis and protracted febrile myalgia as rare clinical findings were more common in M694V homozygotes. Comparisons of clinical findings among patients with one-mutation allele were made for the first time, but no significant association was found. Positive predictive value of strip assay screening for 12 mutations was recorded as 89%. We suggest that whole sequence analysis for supportive diagnosis of FMF should be performed for selected patients only.