Prevalence of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Children with Megaloblastic Anemia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Megaloblastic anemia, which results from vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, “is a common public health problem in children. The present study was a cross-sectional observational study designed to establish the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in pediatric patients with megaloblastic anemia attending a tertiary care hospital in JNUIMSRC, Jaipur. A total of 150 children, aged 6 months to 18 years,” were recruited and divided into two groups: seventy-five children with megaloblastic anemia (cases) and seventy-five apparently healthy children without anemia (controls) were selected from the same community with regards to age, sex, and family income