Vitamin B-6 Status of Mothers : Relation to Condition of the Newborn and the Neonate

Vitamin B-6 status parameters of mothers were assessed in relation to th condition of the infant at birth and during the neonatal period. Parameters were assessed at birth and then weekly in 18 mother-infant pairs during the neonatal period ; mothers were supplemented postnatally with 2 or 27 mg PN-HCI/d. Vitamin B-6 inadequacy in the 2mg supplemented group was suggested by the vitamin status parameters. Mothers whose infants had unsatisfactory Apgar scores at 5min after birth(<7) had lower vitamin B-6 status parameters than mothers whose infants were scored satisfactory. Also, infants who scored unsatisfactory at birth and whose mothers were supplemented with the low level of PN had significantly lower vitamin B-6 status parameters at 7 days of age than infants who scored satisfactory. Infants scored unsatisfactory showed some beneficial effects in both vitamin B-6 status and growth associated with the higher level of maternal postnatal vitamin B-6 supplement. In summary, the mother's prenatal and postnatal vitamin B-6 intake were significantly related to the condition of her infant at birth and during the neonatal period, respectively.