American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 12, 427-430, Copyright © 1963 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Pyridoxine Supplementation During Pregnancy

Clinical and Laboratory Observations

¹ From the Department of Environmental Medicine and Community Health, State University College of Medicine, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York; and the Departments of Pathology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Brooklyn Hospital, Brooklyn, New York

In a double blind, clinical trial, pyridoxine supplements (20 mg. daily) were administered to 956 pregnant women, who, together with 576 prenatal control subjects, also received a specially formulated multivitamin-mineral preparation and general dietary instruction.

Standardized clinical and hospital records were assessed for possible influence of the vitamin B₆ supplement on the frequency of complications, as well as other commonly adopted parameters of pregnancy. Selected laboratory procedures also were performed for evidence of metabolic effects.

Although the laboratory studies, in common with the dental experience previously noted in some of these patients, indicated differences induced by pyridoxine, no other significant clinical benefits could be attributed to the adiministration of this substance.