B12 and pregnancy

[nettiboo1982]

Hi all so I'm not pregnant I sadly suffered a miscarriage earlier this year but I hope one day too feel strong enough too try again. My question how id go about keeping my b12 up if I fall pregnant while im assured by doc I don't have pa and my doctor wasn't bothered that my b12 was 173 ferritin 5 and folate 12.6 so refused injections so I'm supplementing with jarrows 5000mcg and a b complex on alternate days and spatone iron but only spatone says it suitable for pregnancy the others say consult doctor which I did and was told too take pregnacare which is very low b12. So what can you take for b12 deficiency when pregnant ?

[Galixie]

B12 is a water-soluble, non-toxic vitamin. It has been found to be safe even in very high doses and should not pose any risk during pregnancy (especially if you are taking a multivitamin to keep your other vitamin levels in balance also). I imagine that the warning on the label is there for liability reasons rather than due to any actual risk. I would further imagine that the doctor you are consulting isn't even familiar with the product you're asking about and probably can't give an objective opinion on it. If the supplement only contains B12, and not any other vitamins, it is undoubtedly safe. If it contains a mixture of vitamins, then you may need to do a bit of research to see what levels of the additional vitamins would be safe to consume. You might need to switch to a supplement that has just B12 in it. Then you can take it and the pregnacare product to keep all of your levels in balance.

[Secondchance]

B12 deficiency is associated with neural tube defects e.g. spinal bifida in babies so taking enough B12 as well as the recognised need to take folate is important. There was an Irish study I read recently that showed that:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/192...

Personally I would be more worried about being B12 deficient than taking the supplements. B12 as well as folate are so important for the baby's development, but also pregnancy will further deplete your already low stores and cause you problems, especially if you then go on to breastfeed.

I hope you are keeping OK. I also suffered a miscarriage with my first baby but went on to have 2 healthy babies, so there is hope. Miscarriage is devastating. My obstetrician was very philosophical and said to look on it that it proves fertility which some people are not lucky enough to have and to just keep trying and it would happen. He was right. I was terrified but it worked. There is also a link with B12 deficiency and miscarriage. My grandmother who had PA was the only other female in my family to miscarry.

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Are you in the UK nettiboo? If you are, these documents/websites/books may be helpful.

b12deficiency.info/

b12d.org

pernicious-anaemia-society.... 01656 769467

ukneqas-haematinics.org.uk/...

bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g5226

Google "BCSH Cobalamin and folate Guidelines"

Books

"Could it Be b12" by sally Pacholok and JJ stuart

Pernicious Anaemia; The forgotten disease by Martyn Hooper

Living with pernicious anaemia by Martyn Hooper

I noticed that one of your previous threads mentioned you had a B12 result of 173 when the range started at 180. I'm surprised that your doctor didn't start you on a trial of B12 when you were below range. Did you have further blood tests such as IFA (Intrinsic factor Antibody) which can help diagnose PA (Pernicious Anaemia) but is not always reliable. MMA, Homocysteine and Active B12 tests can also help to establish whether or not you have B12 deficiency.

"im assured by doc I don't have pa"

Why is your doctor convinced you don't have PA?

"my b12 was 173 ferritin 5 and folate 12.6"

In my area, a ferritin level of 5 would be seriously below range. When I saw that i wondered if it was a misprint. What is the reference range for ferritin in your area?

Do you have a recent result for a FBC (Full Blood Count)? This is aka Complete Blood Count in USA.

I always get copies of all my blood tests as I don't trust what I am told over the phone.

On the FBC, I look at my MCV and MCH results. High MCV and MCH can indicate the possibility of macrocytosis (enlarged red blod cells) which can sometimes be a symptom of PA. Low iron makes red blood cells smaller (therefore MCV will be lower) and low B12 and/or low folate makes red blood cells bigger (MCV higher). If a patient has both conditions then MCV can appear normal range and a doctor may miss both problems.

I have read some articles that indicate there may be a possible link between B12 deficiency and miscarriage.

b12deficiency.info/b12-and-...

[19191919]

I am not sure about pregnancy and B12 there are others here who know much more. I am sorry for your loss. I had 3 miscrriages and now have 2 healthy kids. Good luck x

[nettiboo1982]

Thank you all for your kind words.

To answer your question sleepy bunny i had some other test carried out intrinsic factor basically i had too fast for 13 hrs or something then the blood had too be frozen within 30 mins and sent too special lab i was told it came back normal. And no misprint my ferritin was that low im not sure what the ranges are sorry and i also dont have print outs.

As a side note i have pcos and as result long term infertility i do have one child but since i had her my health has nose dived mostly in that i developed hypothyroidism in or just after pregnancy

My most recent pregnancy was my second and first since being diagnosed which has led me too request all these different tests im also vegetarian so it could dietary deficiency i suppose.

Thanks again for advice