B12D

Strengthening Health Literacy to Prevent Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Infants and Their Mothers

Vitamin B12 deficiency (B12D) affects over 30% of all pregnant women in Western societies and can have serious consequences for both mother and child. Through targeted education, early screening, and cost-effective, effective, and safe treatment, we strengthen the health literacy and decision-making skills of expectant mothers and healthcare professionals involved in prenatal care.

The project “B12D – Strengthening Health Literacy to Prevent Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Infants and Their Mothers” is aimed at pregnant women, their families, and healthcare professionals (doctors, midwives, nurses, etc.) in Vorarlberg.

Vitamin B12 is found in sufficient quantities exclusively in animal-based foods (meat, fish, eggs, dairy products); a strictly plant-based diet leads to a deficiency without supplementation. In addition, rare, often unnoticed absorption or transport disorders can lead to low B12 levels. Low B12 status in the mother increases the risk of gestational diabetes, anemia, preterm birth, and low birth weight. In infants, a severe, long-term deficiency can lead to feeding and growth problems, developmental delays, and long-term cognitive deficits. A B12 deficiency as the cause of these symptoms is often not recognized until late in the course of the condition—precisely when permanent damage is most likely to occur.

Our strategy in this research project combines targeted, easy-to-understand informational resources (flyers, online modules, practice toolkits) with ongoing continuing education for healthcare professionals. This strategy raises awareness of the importance of vitamin B12 and empowers the entire healthcare team to provide competent advice and treatment. Early B12 screening as part of prenatal care, followed by safe and affordable B12 therapy, can prevent B12 deficiencies in both mothers and children

This project is a collaboration between the Human-Centered Technologies Research Centre and the Department of Social Work and Health.

Project Goals

• Improved Prevention: Educating pregnant women, families, and relevant healthcare professionals about the causes, risks, and effective prevention and treatment measures for B12 deficiency.
  Early Diagnosis: Integrating a simple B12 screening into obstetric and primary care to detect and treat maternal deficiencies in a timely manner.
• Cooperation & Knowledge Exchange: Establishing an exchange of experiences between the newborn screening programs for Austria—with a focus on Vorarlberg—and for Switzerland. Expanding R&D cooperation in the competence area of health.
• Building expertise among healthcare professionals: Developing continuing education modules, practical guidelines, and decision-making tools so that healthcare professionals can proactively address B12 deficiency.
• Strengthening mothers’ decision-making skills: Promoting mothers’ self-initiative through targeted informational materials and training so that they can independently manage nutrition, supplementation, and treatment.
• Sustainable health improvement: Reducing vitamin B12 deficiency and the associated health risks among mothers and their children. Reducing the number of newborn screening recalls and the associated invasive diagnostic procedures in newborns.