Megaloblastic Anemia of Infancy Secondary to Maternal Pernicious Anemia

Abstract

IN the United States deficiency of folic acid is the most common cause of megaloblastic anemia of infancy.¹ Reports from European centers, predominantly from Italy, suggest that a deficiency of vitamin B₁₂ is a common cause of megaloblastic anemia in infants.^{2 , 3} The majority of European cases have been reported in breast-fed infants and have responded to administration of vitamin B₁₂ None of the mothers of the infants affected were reported to have pernicious anemia.A comprehensive discussion of megaloblastic anemia of infancy by Zuelzer and Rutzky⁴ included the notation of a five-month-old breast-fed infant with megaloblastic anemia who . . .