Pyridoxine responsive megaloblastic anaemia in pregnancy: a case report of two patients

Abstract

In pregnancy megaloblastic anaemia commonly results from folic acid deficiency partly due to placenta transfer to fetus, but mainly because of increased folate catabolism due to cleavage of folate coenzymes in rapidly proliferating tissues. Cobalamin deficiency causing megaloblastic anaemia has been described in infants born to severely cobalamin deficient mothers, but its deficiency is very rare. Similarly Pyridoxine deficiency is also rare but if it does occur, it is often in association with deficiency in several B- Complex vitamins. We report a case of megaloblastic anaemia in pregnancy which was responsive to pyridoxine with a view to increasing the awareness of pyridoxine deficiency complicating megalobastic anaemia.

Keywords: Megaloblastic Anaemia, Pyridoxine Deficiency, Pregnancy