Abstract
Simultaneous determinations of erythrocyte transketolase activity in maternal umbilical cord and newborn baby's blood of 60 full term healthy women from a low socioeconomic group of Bangkok were conducted. Forty-two percent of the women were found to be deficient as judged from thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) effect. The erythrocyte transketolase activities in umbilical cord and newborn baby's blood were significantly higher than those in maternal blood. During the neonatal period, the thiamine status was normal even though the mother was considered to have a deficiency. The importance of thiamine supplementation to lactating women is discussed.
