GUANGZHOU, ChinaApril 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — When postpartum anemia is mentioned, most people first think of “iron deficiency.” However, data shows that in 50%-80% of postpartum anemia cases in developing countries, only 20%-37% are directly related to iron deficiency. This means that behind over 60% of postpartum anemia cases, there are other insufficiently recognized nutritional risk factors, urgently necessitating the search for new “early warning signals” to enable early monitoring and prevention.
Recently, BY-HEALTH, leveraging its self-established dried blood spot (DBS) testing platform and in collaboration with Guangdong Women and Children Hospital and the University of Toronto, Canada, has achieved new results in the field of precision nutrition: research found that pregnant women with higher levels of vitamin B1 and B3 during the second trimester have a lower risk of developing postpartum anemia. This finding, published in the internationally authoritative journal Nutrition & Metabolism, systematically reveals for the first time the association between various B vitamins and postpartum anemia. The study successfully constructed an early risk prediction model for postpartum anemia, providing a scientific tool for its early warning and precise intervention.
New Research Discovery: Second-Trimester Vitamin B1 and B3 Levels May Serve as Early Warning Signals for Postpartum Anemia
BY-HEALTH, in collaboration with authoritative institutions like Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, conducted continuous tracking of 200 women from the second trimester of pregnancy through the postpartum period. Utilizing DBS technology to collect blood samples at high frequency and multiple time points, the study mapped the concentration trajectories of B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B9) and explored their relationship with postpartum anemia. The minimally invasive and convenient DBS technology significantly improved the feasibility of nutritional monitoring during pregnancy.
The study found that women with higher levels of vitamin B1 and B3 during the second trimester had a lower risk of postpartum anemia; notably, the protective effect of vitamin B3 is reported for the first time. This discovery opens a new window for the early prevention and control of postpartum anemia. It suggests that while focusing on iron nutrition, adequate supply of B vitamins should not be overlooked, and the second trimester is a crucial time point for monitoring and intervention.
Image: Trajectory of B Vitamin Concentration Changes in Maternal Blood from the Second Trimester to 48 Hours Postpartum
Based on these findings, the research team further integrated key factors such as second-trimester B1, B3, and iron levels to successfully construct an early risk prediction model for postpartum anemia. This provides a new tool for clinical early screening, helping to identify high-risk populations and implement targeted interventions.
Dried Blood Spot Technology Ushers Precision Nutrition into a New Era of “Testing-Intervention”
This precision nutrition research during pregnancy is one of a series of achievements by BY-HEALTH based on its proprietary DBS technology platform. Traditional venous blood collection offers a poor experience for pregnant women and has stringent storage and transportation requirements, making it difficult to support high-frequency dynamic monitoring. DBS technology requires only 20 microliters of fingertip blood to accurately measure multiple nutritional indicators.
Behind this technology lies a sophisticated system that has overcome challenges such as simultaneous multi-indicator detection from微量 blood samples, stable storage at room temperature, and long-distance transportation. Its methodological reliability has been recognized by the internationally authoritative analytical chemistry journal Talanta. Furthermore, BY-HEALTH, in collaboration with institutions like the China National Institute of Standardization, has led the release of two group standards for DBS testing technology and holds two related invention patents, laying a standardized foundation for the large-scale application of the technology.
Image: Related Research Achievements of BY-HEALTH’s Dried Blood Spot Studies
Additionally, leveraging the DBS technology platform, BY-HEALTH has collaborated with over 10 universities and research institutes to conduct studies on the association between nutrition and diseases, and the dynamic patterns of nutritional changes. They have published a total of 10 SCI papers, revealing associations between specific nutrient levels and issues like cognitive impairment, obesity, and sleep disorders, and have constructed disease risk prediction models. This upgrades testing indicators from “state description” to “risk warning,” gradually advancing the implementation of precision nutrition interventions.
Image: BY-HEALTH’s Dried Blood Spot Research Layout
For a long time, public understanding of nutritional supplementation has remained at the experiential level of “supplementing what you feel is lacking.” The precision nutrition approach represented by DBS technology is pushing this process onto a scientific track that is quantifiable, traceable, and predictable.
Currently, BY-HEALTH continues to upgrade its DBS testing capabilities. The testing dimensions have expanded from basic nutrients to biomarkers like GABA and NAD+, and the company is advancing the construction of multi-omics platforms such as lipidomics and metabolomics. Driven by both technological iteration and data accumulation, BY-HEALTH is accelerating the construction of a full-chain precision nutrition闭环 covering “testing-evaluation-prediction-intervention.” This aims to provide consumers with more personalized nutritional solutions and lead the industry into a new era of health that is more scientific, precise, and accessible.