The Study
Vitamin B12 deficiency in an exclusively breastfed infant born to a vegan mother: a case report
This story is about one baby who got very sick because her mom ate only plants. The doctors gave her a vitamin and she got better. But we can't say all babies of vegan moms will get sick — this is just one example, like seeing one dog bark and saying all dogs bark.
Analysis score
Maximum 30 for a case report.
Where the score came from
Babies who only drink breast milk get all their vitamins from mom. If mom eats only plants, she might not have enough B12, which babies need to grow their brains and blood.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 530 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this shows that even if a vegan mom takes supplements, her baby can still get dangerously sick without enough B12.
- 2Baby had very low B12 (<125 pg/mL), low hemoglobin (7.6 g/dL), and couldn't sit up or respond normally.
- 3After B12 shots and eating eggs/fish, she got better.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
CHILD`S HEALTH
Year
2026
Authors
Adinda Paramitha Sukma Damayanti, Prisillia Brigitta, Putu Oka Kresna Jayadi
Related Content
Claims (6)
Infants born to mothers with low vitamin B12 levels during pregnancy and breastfeeding, especially if the mother follows a strict vegan diet, have very low vitamin B12 in their blood and develop megaloblastic anemia, even if the mother takes vitamin B12 supplements.
Infants who are exclusively breastfed by mothers with a vegan diet and who have severe vitamin B12 deficiency show macrocytic anemia, low muscle tone, developmental regression, and neurological symptoms; these conditions improve when the infants receive vitamin B12 supplementation.
Infants with severe vitamin B12 deficiency show measurable improvement in neurological function and blood markers after receiving vitamin B12 supplementation.
Infants who are exclusively breastfed and have a vitamin B12 deficiency show subtle signs like reduced movement, increased fussiness, and loss of developmental skills before showing serious blood or nerve problems.
Infants who are exclusively breastfed by vegan mothers with low vitamin B12 levels develop severe macrocytic anemia and neurological impairment, with symptoms appearing between 4 and 10 months of age.
People who follow a vegan diet have lower levels of vitamin B12, iron, choline, and protein because these nutrients are not available in sufficient amounts from plant-based foods.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.