dietary folate intake and serum folate levels were measured in 26 pregnant, 25 lactating , and 17 non-pregnant, non-lactating women. Dietary folate comsumption was estimated by calculating folate intake based on the information obtained from food
frequency quesionnaires and serum folate levels were determined microbiologically suing Lactobacillus casei. The total folate (from food and supplements) intakes of pregnant and lactating women were 326.9㎍, which was significantly higher than
that
of
the non-pregnant, non-lactating women(139.5㎍). However, with regard to food folate intake, there were no differences among the three groups (160㎍for pregnant women. 143.4㎍ for lactating women). Forty-two percent and 36% of the pregnant and
lactating
subjects, respectively, were found to be taking commercially available nutritional supplements containing folate. The concentration of folate in these supplements were in the range of 83㎍~1,000㎍per tablet. For lactating women, serum folate
levels
were
significantly higher when folate supplements were voluntarily used. The amount of folate intake was positively correalted with the serum folate levels in pregnant women. But not in lactating women and non-pregnant, non-lactating women, Serum
folate
levels were negatively correlated with the ages of the pregnant women, and for lactating women, serum folate was positively correlated with their body weights.
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