Folate state of premature infants.

The recent widespread application of the microbiological assay of folate in serum, whole blood, and red cells has led to many reports on the folate status of infants (Matoth et al., 1964a, b; Matoth, Pinkas, and Sroka, 1965; Vanier and Tyas, 1966), including some on the folate status of premature infants (Shojania and Gross 1964; Strelling et al., 1966; Vanier and Tyas, 1967). This study was designed to investigate the serum and red cell folate levels in premature infants from birth to 6 months. The changes in folate levels of these premature infants were related to the folate status of the mothers, to the incidence of anaemia in the infants, and to the infants' dietary folate.