Clinical presentation and metabolic consequences in 40 breastfed infants with nutritional vitamin B-12 deficiency - What have we learned?
2010
Abstract
Maternal vitamin B12 (Cbl) deficiency causes nutritional Cbl deficiency in breastfed infants. Insufficient absorption due to chronic gastritis was the major cause of maternal Cbl deficiency in this series.
In these, usually asymptomatic mothers, a routine oral Cbl supplementation in pregnancy and lactation is insufficient. Clinical presentation of severe deficiency was typical, consisting of failure to thrive, hypotonia, developmental delay/regression, microcephaly and megaloblastic anaemia.
The best prevention in future could be the screening of all pregnant women.