Folic and Folinic Acid in Maternal and Foetal Blood*

Grossowicz, N.; Aronovitch, J.; Rachmilewitz, M.; Izak, G.; Sadovsky, A; Bercovici, B

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2141.1960.tb06246.x

Cited by 37 publications

(21 citation statements)

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“…The relation between maternal and cord blood folate activity was investigated in a group of 110 primigravidae and their infants. Approximately half of these mothers had received folic acid supplements during their pregnancy, and the effects of this on infant blood folate levels at birth and at 6 weeks were also studied.In unsupplemented pregnancies there was a significant relation between infant and maternal blood folate levels at delivery.The results of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy were reflected by higher cord blood values, but 6 weeks after delivery infant plasma folate levels were essentially the same in both groups and independent of maternal supplies before delivery.The increasing use of microbiological assays for the estimation of blood folate levels during pregnancy has established that at term both plasma and erythrocyte folate activities are frequently below the normal levels found in nonpregnant women (Hansen, 1964;Ball and Giles, 1964;Chanarin, Rothman, and Berry, 1965).Despite these low levels, folic acid deficiency does not appear to be a feature of the fetus because cord blood values are invariably higher than maternal levels (Baker et al, 1958(Baker et al, , 1960Grossowicz et al, 1960).Grossowicz and his co-workers (1960) noted the possibility of an association between low blood folate activity in the mother and a comparatively low blood folate activity in the cord blood. Roberts et al (1969) in a series of 20 premature infants found a similar relation with regard to erythrocyte folate activity, though in this series the mothers had been receiving prophylactic folic acid since their first antenatal attendance.…”

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Relation Between Maternal and Infant Blood Folate Activities

Landon¹,

Oxley²

1971

Archives of Disease in Childhood

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Landon, M. J., and Oxley, A. (1971). Archives of Disease in Childhood, 46, 810. Relation between maternal and infant blood folate activities. The relation between maternal and cord blood folate activity was investigated in a group of 110 primigravidae and their infants. Approximately half of these mothers had received folic acid supplements during their pregnancy, and the effects of this on infant blood folate levels at birth and at 6 weeks were also studied.In unsupplemented pregnancies there was a significant relation between infant and maternal blood folate levels at delivery.The results of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy were reflected by higher cord blood values, but 6 weeks after delivery infant plasma folate levels were essentially the same in both groups and independent of maternal supplies before delivery.The increasing use of microbiological assays for the estimation of blood folate levels during pregnancy has established that at term both plasma and erythrocyte folate activities are frequently below the normal levels found in nonpregnant women (Hansen, 1964;Ball and Giles, 1964;Chanarin, Rothman, and Berry, 1965).Despite these low levels, folic acid deficiency does not appear to be a feature of the fetus because cord blood values are invariably higher than maternal levels (Baker et al., 1958(Baker et al., , 1960Grossowicz et al., 1960).Grossowicz and his co-workers (1960) noted the possibility of an association between low blood folate activity in the mother and a comparatively low blood folate activity in the cord blood. Roberts et al. (1969) in a series of 20 premature infants found a similar relation with regard to erythrocyte folate activity, though in this series the mothers had been receiving prophylactic folic acid since their first antenatal attendance.This present study investigates the relation between matemnal and cord blood folate activities and the effect of the latter on infant folate status six weeks after delivery. MaterialThe subjects were 110 primigravidae who, as part of another investigation , were being carefully supervised during pregnancy. As a group they had the advantage that their folate stores could not have been affected by a previous pregnancy.

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“…Despite these low levels, folic acid deficiency does not appear to be a feature of the fetus because cord blood values are invariably higher than maternal levels (Baker et al, 1958(Baker et al, , 1960Grossowicz et al, 1960).…”

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Relation Between Maternal and Infant Blood Folate Activities

Landon¹,

Oxley²

1971

Archives of Disease in Childhood

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“…The rapid clearance of folate in plasma in newborns, when the serum folate is higher than in adults [2,5,9,20], eliminates the possibility of any blockage in the utilization of folate in the newborn period. If this rapid tissue uptake of folate by the newborn is taken as an indication of tissue need, it could explain the subsequent fall of Mate levels in serum and blood [16,20] in early infancy when the folate supply in the infant's diet cannot meet the tremendous demand.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…was any block in the utilization of folic acid in the newborn period when the folate level in serum was very Reported studies [21] have shown that the peak folate high [5,9,16,20]. level in serum after an intramuscular dose of PGA was lower in newborns than in adults, suggesting a more rapid clearance of folic acid in the newborn infant.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Folate Metabolism in Newborns and during Early Infancy: II. Clearance of Folic Acid in Plasma and Excretion of Folic Acid in Urine by Newborns

Shojania

Hornady

1970

Pediatr Res

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Clearance in plasma of pteroylglutamic acid (PGA) was determined in human adults and newborns. The doses of PGA given to adults were 7.5 and 15 figjkg and those given to newborns were 15 and 30 ,«g/kg of body weight, respectively. Microbiological assays using Lactobacillus casei determined the total folate in serum as well as the amount of unchanged PGA following intravenous administration of PGA. Excretion of folate was determined in adults and newborns receiving 40 fig PGA/kg intramuscularly.Clearance of folic acid in plasma was found to be much more rapid in newborns than in adults (figs. 1 and 2). Less folate was excreted in the urine by the newborns (table I) which indicated that rapid clearance of folic acid in plasma in the newborns was due to rapid tissue uptake of folate. SpeculationThe rapid tissue uptake of PGA in newborns indicates the markedly increased demand for folic acid in the neonatal period and during the period of early infancy, when there is a rapid rate of cell replication and growth. This finding explains the rapid fall of serum [20] and blood folate levels [16] in the first few months of life when the increased demand for folate is not met by the dietary folate. Further studies are needed to determine folate stores in newborns, the dietary intake of folate by newborns, and the folate requirement of newborns and infants. Introductionwas any block in the utilization of folic acid in the newborn period when the folate level in serum was very Reported studies [21] have shown that the peak folate high [5,9,16,20]. level in serum after an intramuscular dose of PGA was lower in newborns than in adults, suggesting a more rapid clearance of folic acid in the newborn infant. TheMaterials and Methods experiments reported in this present paper were designed to study the clearance of folic acid in plasma in Subjects were 12 normal adult volunteers (hospital the newborn and to see whether the rapid clearance personnel) and 9 normal full-term newborns (6-12 was due to rapid tissue uptake or increased loss in the days old) [25]. The technique of blood collection and urine. They were also designed to see whether there the source of folic acid for standard and test doses have

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“…Although advanced megaloblastic anemia is not common in infants without predisposing factors, the available data demonstrate laboratory evidence of mild folate deficiency in a high proportion of such infants in the first few months of life [32,38,46,51]. Infants are born with very high folate levels in serum and whole blood [12,22,38,46,56], but by 2-3 months of age the serum and blood folate levels fall to concentrations comparable to those seen in folate-deficient adults [38,46]. Rapid rates of growth and dietary factors have been thought to be responsible for this fall [38,46,56].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Folate Metabolism in Newborns and during Early Infancy: I. Absorption of Pteroylglutamic (Folic) Acid in Newborns

Shojania

Hornady

1970

Pediatr Res

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ExtractFolic acid (PGA) absorption (40 ,«g/kg of body weight) was studied in normal newborns and adults using Lactobacillus casei and Streptococcus faecalis microbiological assays for folate determination. The PGA was given orally or intramuscularly to the subjects after either saturating their tissues with folate or without prior saturation of their tissues. Without prior saturation of the tissues the folic acid absorption curves in newborns were much lower than those found in adults (figs. 1 and 2). Saturation of the tissues of the newborns with folic acid, prior to administration of the oral test dose, raised the absorption curves of the folic acid, but these were still lower than those seen in adults (fig: 5). The folate curve of the newborns after an intramuscular test dose of PGA was also lower than that observed in adults (fig. 3); however, after saturating the tissues of the newborns with folic acid, the folate curve became comparable to that of the unsaturated adults ( fig. 4).After the oral test dose, newborns excreted a much smaller percentage of the administered dose in their urine than did the adults (table II). When the tissues in newborns were saturated with folic acid, however, the excretion of folate in the urine became comparable to that of unsaturated adults (table II) These data indicate that: 1) plasma clearance of folate in newborns is more rapid than that in adults and that large saturating doses of folic acid are needed to reduce this clearance rate; and 2) the folate absorption curve in the newborn is lower than in the adult. With the criteria set for adults, this could be interpreted as evidence of impaired folate absorption in newborns. The proper interpretation of the data indicates, however, that folate absorption by newborns is slower than seen in adults and that the net absorption is comparable to that of adults. SpeculationIn newborns, the absorption curve for orally administered folate is lower than in adults. Our study indicates that this is due to the slower absorption of folates and more rapid tissue uptake of folates by newborns. Further studies should be carried out to investigate the absorption of folate conjugates which are the main forms of folate found in food, to determine how much of the folate in food is available to newborns and small infants, and to evaluate the need for supplementary folate in small infants. SHOJANIA and HORNADY 413

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Folic and Folinic Acid in Maternal and Foetal Blood*

Cited by 37 publications

References 4 publications

Relation Between Maternal and Infant Blood Folate Activities

Relation Between Maternal and Infant Blood Folate Activities

Folate Metabolism in Newborns and during Early Infancy: II. Clearance of Folic Acid in Plasma and Excretion of Folic Acid in Urine by Newborns

Folate Metabolism in Newborns and during Early Infancy: I. Absorption of Pteroylglutamic (Folic) Acid in Newborns

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