Abstract
The fetus, the neonate, and the pregnant woman have a greater requirement for folic acid and vitamin B12 and are more likely to suffer from a deficiency of these vitamins. This article reviews the source, requirement, absorption, and metabolism of these vitamins and discusses the problems attributed to their deficiency in pregnancy and in the neonatal period.
MeSH terms
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Abortion, Spontaneous / etiology
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Anemia / etiology
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Congenital Abnormalities / etiology
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Female
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Folic Acid / metabolism
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Folic Acid / therapeutic use
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Folic Acid Deficiency* / complications
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Folic Acid Deficiency* / drug therapy
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Folic Acid Deficiency* / epidemiology
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Folic Acid Deficiency* / prevention & control
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Humans
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Infant, Newborn
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Infant, Premature
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Intellectual Disability / etiology
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Neural Tube Defects / etiology
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Pregnancy
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Pregnancy Complications* / drug therapy
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Pregnancy Complications* / epidemiology
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Pregnancy Complications* / prevention & control
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Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / metabolism
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Vitamin B 12 / metabolism
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Vitamin B 12 / therapeutic use
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Vitamin B 12 Deficiency* / complications
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Vitamin B 12 Deficiency* / drug therapy
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Vitamin B 12 Deficiency* / prevention & control