RESUMO
The ascorbic acid content of blood in 109 pregnant Filipino women and forty-four lactating mothers was determined, using the Pijoan and Eddy method. Our results may be summarized as follows: 1. There is a tendency for the ascorbic acid content of blood plasma to diminish as pregnancy advances, although this tendency is not consistent throughout the course of pregnancy2. The ascorbic acid content of the corpuscles does not diminish as pregnancy advances, as observed by other authors3. The figures we obtained in both plasma and corpuscles at the time of delivery are very much higher than the figures reported so far by other authors either in Europe or in America, except those found by Meulemans and De Haas among the natives of Batavia and the Chinese residents of Java4. The ascorbic acid content of both plasma and corpuscles during the first seven days of puerperium is very much higher than that reported of Ingalss, et al. A possible explanation for this discrepancy in the two findings has been offered5. In view of the fact that there is a tendency for the ascorbic acid content of blood to decrease during pregnancy and lactation it is recommended that mothers of breast-fed infants should receive an adequate diet containing plenty of vitamin C in the form of fruits and fresh vegetables, e.g., papaya, orange juice, guava, tomato, malungay, and kale. (Summary and recommendations)