Vitamin B6 status of pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in northwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract
Vitamin B6 has been recognized as an essential micronutrients involved in normal fetal development, and positive pregnancy outcome. Its deficiency may lead to undesired pregnancy outcomes. There are no reports on the vitamin B6 status of East African pregnant mothers so far. The objective of this study is to evaluate the vitamin B6 status of pregnant mothers by measuring the serum levels of pyrodoxal-5-phosphate, and pyridoxal. One hundred and thirty one healthy third trimester pregnant women attending ANC were enrolled in the study. Their serum levels of pyridoxal-5-phosphate, and pyridoxal were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. The mean serum, and pyridoxal-5-phosphate and pyradoxal were found to be 16.7 nmol/L and 0.47 nmol/L, respectively. The findings in this survey provide evidence that the serum levels of vitamin B6 were low among anti-natal clinic attendants in northwestern Ethiopia. [Ethiop.J.Health Dev. 2005;19(1):63-64]