Urinary Formimino-glutamic Acid Excretion in Pregnancy

Folic Acid Deficiency and Abrupt10 Placentae

“…Firstly, Hibbard (1964) and Hibbard and Jeffcoate (1966) used the FIGLU test as a test of folic acid status; this test was found unreliable in pregnancy by Berry et al (1963). The serum folate assay was used in the present study because it has been shown by Herbert (1962) to be the most sensitive indicator of early folate depletion ; such marginal depletion might predispose to pregnancy complications without being sufficient to lower the more stable red cell folate level.…”

Symposium on Folic Acid Deficiency

“…Studies carried out on normal subjects throughout pregnancy show a progressive decline of figlu excretion with a mean of about 21 mg before the 16th week to a mean excretion of 7 mg at the 35th week (Berry et al 1963). Many subjects, in fact, fail to produce measurable amounts of figlu at all following 15 g of histidine which is very rare in 23 388 Proceedings ofthe Royal Society ofMedicine 24 nonpregnant subjects.…”

Histidine Metabolite Excretion and Serum Folate Levels

“…If the test is to function properly, normal intestinal absorption is necessary in conjunction with a histidine dose which will result in the production of Figlu levels in excess of subnormal tetra hydrofolate concentrations available for binding the formimino groups. Pregnancy is a known cause of failure of the histidine loading test because of slow intestinal absorption (Berry, Booth, Chanarin and Rothman, 1963) and patient No. 16 fits into this category.…”