Assessment of nutritional folate status and selected vitamin status of women of childbearing age

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate folate and other selecte d vitamin status (ascorbic acid, tocopherol, retinol, vitamin B-12), haemat ological indices and total homocysteine concentration of serum in women of childbearing age. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: Warsaw. Subjects: Healthy women aged 18-30y (n = 78) not pregnant presently or prev iously, and not taking drugs. Results: Haemoglobin and haematocrit values according to WHO criteria for I S to 30-y-old women were normal. The optimal levels of serum tocopherol, > 1.29 mg/dl (> 29.9 mu mol/l) to preventing civilization diseases, were foun d in 5.5% and serum retinol > 71.6 mcg/dl (> 2.5 mu mol/l) in 6.4% of all s tudied persons. The analysis of serum folate concentration showed high-risk deficiency, < 3 ng/ml (< 6.8 mnol/l), in 6.4%, moderate and low risk toget her (7.0-14.9 nmol/l) in 61.6% and optimal folate levels (> 14.9 mnol/l) in 32.0% of the studied group. Folate body stores were insufficient in almost all women. There was no high or moderate deficiency risk of vitamin B12 or ascorbic acid. None of the women under study had serum total homocysteine (tHcy) concentration > 15 mu mol/l, indicating hyperhomocysteinaemia. Serum total homocysteine concentrations in the range of 5-15 mu mol/l were found in 71.8%, and serum tHcy > 10 mu mol/l in 7.7% of the studied group of wom en. Sponsorship: The study was sponsored by the Polish Committee for Scientific Research. Descriptors: folates serum and red blood cells; serum vitamin B12; antioxid ant vitamins (ascorbic acid, tocopherol, retinol); total homocysteine; wome n of childbearing age.