Intrauterine uptake of vitamin B, in preterm and full-term infants was examined. Factors of influence on vitamin supply were considered. Forty-four women and their infants were included in the study. Fetal vitamin uptake was calculated as arteriovenous concentration gradient in cord plasma times umbilical plasma flow. Concentration of vitamin B, (free riboflavin and flavocoenzymes) was determined by high performance liquid chromatography of placental tissue and blood plasma (maternal vein, umbilical artery, umbilical vein). Flavocoenzymes were analyzed as flavin mononucleotide after acid hydrolysis of flavin adenine dinucleotide. Umbilical plasma flow was measured using pulsed Doppler sonography. Both free riboflavin and flavocoenzymes were transferred from the maternal plasma to the umbilical vein, but only free riboflavin was accumulated (-1:4 for preterm and full-term infants, respectively). Flavocoenzyme concentration was higher in the umbilical vein than in the umbilical artery (p < 0.05). This indicated a median uptake of flavocoenzymes of 1.5 nmol/miwkg in preterm infants and 0.4 nmoll miwkg in full-term infants (preterm versus full-term, p < 0.01). Arteriovenous concentration differences in umbilical blood have been reported for a variety of nutrients, e.g. amino acids or glucose (1, 2). In general, concentrations of these nutrients have been found to be more elevated in plasma from the umbilical vein than the umbilical artery. Such differences suggest a fetal uptake of nutrients (Fig. 1); however, they do not allow any quantitative assessment. To be able to quantify fetal uptake, it is not only necessary to determine arteriovenous gradients, but also plasma flow in cord vessels (4). (8,9). In such instances a reduced transplacental transfer is expected to occur (10). The placenta's role is threefold: to sequester free riboflavin and flavocoenzymes, to hydrolyze the majority of the flavocoenzymes to yield free riboflavin, and to release both free riboflavin and its coenzyme forms into fetal circulation (5, 11).The build-up of a riboflavin concentration gradient was also