Vegetarian Diets, Pregnant Women and Vitamin B12

A study conducted in Germany showed that vegetarians pregnant women have adequate supplies of vitamin B12. This study was conducted at the German Potsdam Institute for Human-Rehbrücke Nutritrion located Nuthetal, Germany.

Vitamin B12 is naturally only in foods derived from animal sources. However, many women choose to limit themselves to a diet mainly of plant origin in the belief that this will improve their lives and reduce the likelihood of death from cancer and heart disease.

Many pregnant vegetarians choose to include eggs and milk in their diet to supply them, vitamin B12 is needed for proper nerve formation in the fetus. Therefore, their food is food which is called the "facto-ovo-vegetarians." This research is mainly in Germany makes responding to other studies showing that babies born to mothers on the vegan (strict vegetarian) Deiets vitamin B12 deficiency.

A woman who is more at risk of B12 deficiency during pregnancy for pre-eclampsia and other pregnancy-related complications. In addition, the fetus at increased risk for neural tube defects. As a woman breast feeding a baby more likely to failure of growth and development disorders.

The aim of the study in Germany only to compare the plasma levels of vitamin B12 women who ate a traditional Western diet (eat meat) diet vegan women and ovo-vegetarian diet-facto.

More than one hundred groups of pregnant women were recruited for this study and divided into three groups: facto-ovo-vegetarian, meat-eating group was low, and control groups. The ovo-vegetarian-facto women who never eat meat at all in the three years before the study. There are women in the control group on each diet (ate meat regularly). Blood samples were taken from all women during their pregnancy.

As far as Body Mass Index (BMI) is concerned, the vegetarians who eat meat have low-months prior to pregnancy is lower than the control group (eating meat).

At a concentration of B12, vegetarians and low meat consumption has a much lower level of vitamin B12. There is little difference between the group of meat-eating vegetarian and low.

In short, research shows that women on a vegetarian diet have a greater risk because of lack of B12, by placing their infants at increased risk for neural tube defects.

If you are pregnant and do not eat much meat, it is recommended that you supplement the diet with vitamin B12.