In response to Anne EGlash's interest in my unspecified link between
maternal iron status and folate levels in BM of vegetarians:

Our current hypothesis is not specific to, or limited to vegetarian versus
nonvegetarian women. This aspect of the study is simply and added dimension
we hope to explore in our community since vegetarianism is relatively
prevelent.  The relationship we are exploring is maternal iron status and
breast milk folate concentration.  In animal studies, depressed milk folate
secretion is an early manifestation of maternal iron deficiency.  The
mechanism is thusfar unknown.  This relationship has not been investigated
in humans.

Keith A. Marretta
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