A comparison of maternal and foetal folacin and cobalamin activities at parturition in relation to Plasmodium falciparum infection.

Folacin deficiency in malaria endemic areas is not reported other than in severely malnourished children. This is surprising in view of the high incidence in these areas of malaria in pregnancy, with its complications of prematurity and low birth weight, all of which can predispose to folacin deficiency. This paper reports results of folacin and cobalamin activities of blood samples collected from women at parturition and their newborns in a holoendemic area in West Kenya. Evidence is given that Plasmodium falciparum infection has little influence on cord plasma or red cell folacin activities. Mean values for folacin and cobalamin are not low when compared with reported values from neonates from temperate climates.