Background and objective: Plasma cobalamins decrease during pregnancy but it is not fully elucidated how this is reflected in the total and cobalamin saturated transport proteins, transcobalamin (total TC, holoTC) and haptocorrin (total HC, holoHC). TC transports cobalamin into the cells. The function of HC is unknown, but in contrast to TC it binds both cobalamins and cobalamin analogues.

Design and methods: Healthy pregnant women (N=141) had blood samples drawn at 18th, 32nd, 39th gestation week and 8 weeks postpartum. The protein moiety of TC and HC (total and holo) was measured by in-house ELISA methods.

Background and objective: Plasma cobalamins decrease during pregnancy but it is not fully elucidated how this is reflected in the total and cobalamin saturated transport proteins, transcobalamin (total TC, holoTC) and haptocorrin (total HC, holoHC). TC transports cobalamin into the cells. The function of HC is unknown, but in contrast to TC it binds both cobalamins and cobalamin analogues.

Design and methods: Healthy pregnant women (N=141) had blood samples drawn at 18th, 32nd, 39th gestation week and 8 weeks postpartum. The protein moiety of TC and HC (total and holo) was measured by in-house ELISA methods.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Danish healthy Caucasian women >18 years of age with previous uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries and presently with a normal pregnancy.

Exclusion Criteria:

• >4 cigarettes smoked per day,
• Treatment with vitamin B12, folic acid or acetyl salicylic acid,
• Impaired renal function and clinically significant vaginal haemorrhage before first visit as well as blood haemoglobin <6.4 mmol/L at first visit.