## 3 Results
### MTHF Concentration in Non-Pregnant and Pregnant Rat Tissues Post Folate Form Administration
MTHF Concentration Post Administration of Folate Forms in the Presence of NR-IgG or FR\(\alpha\)Ab  
In dams given 2 doses of NR-IgG or FR\(\alpha\)Ab-IgG prior to oral dosing with folate forms, there was no major difference in folate distribution between NR-IgG or FR\(\alpha\)Ab-IgG administered rats suggesting that at the pharmacologic doses administered, all forms of folate are taken up and distributed to tissues including the placenta and the embryo. This distribution is not affected by the presence of FR\(\alpha\)Ab (Figure 5A,B). Figure 5: Methylfolate levels in a GD 14 pregnant rat following oral administration of folate forms, and IP administration with normal rabbit IgG (NR-IgG; (**A**)) and rabbit anti rat FR\(\alpha\) antibody (FR\(\alpha\)Ab; (**B**)) Asterisks indicate the following: * \(p<0.05\), **\(p<0.01\)**. A one-way ANOVA comparing MTHF concentrations in placenta and embryo after two doses of NR-IgG showed differences among the four folate forms (placenta F(3, 7) = 9.58, \(p\) = 0.007; embryo: F(3, 7.09) = 17.91, \(p\) = 0.001). A post-hoc [PERSON]'s test conducted on placenta 5 MTHF values for each given folate form suggested that levofolinate gave reduced concentration when compared to folic acid (\(t\)-value = 4.26, df = 13.0, \(p\) = 0.004), 5 MTHF (\(t\)-value = 4.29, df = 13, \(p\) = 0.004), and d,l-folinic acid (\(t\)-value = \(-\)3.574, df = 13, \(p\) = 0.016). There are no differences between folic acid and 5 MTHF (\(t\)-value = \(-\)0.0279, df = 13, \(p\) = 1.0), folic acid and d,l-folinic acid (t-value = 0.920, df = 13, \(p\) = 0.795), and 5 MTHF and d,l-folinic acid (\(t\)-value = 0.949, df = 13, \(p\) = 0.779). The only difference in embryo MTHF concentration was observed after post-hoc [PERSON]'s test is between folic acid and 5 MTHF (\(t\)-value = \(-\)3.26, df = 13, \(p\) = 0.028). Comparing folate forms after two doses of FR\(\alpha\)Ab showed MTHF decreases in placenta and embryo (Figure 5B) (placenta: F(3, 6.49) = 34.9, \(p\) < 0.001, embryo: F(3, 6.55) = 58.4, \(p\) < 0.001). After post-hoc Games-Howell test, differences between folic acid and 5 MTHF (\(t\)-value = \(-\)8.59, df = 4.74, \(p\) = 0.002), folic acid and d,l-folinic acid (\(t\)-value = \(-\)4.518, df = 5.67, \(p\) = 0.018), 5 MTHF and levofolinate (\(t\)-value = 10.127, df = 4.17, \(p\) = 0.002), and levofolinate and d,l-folinic acid (\(t\)-value = \(-\)5.004, df = 5.07, \(p\) = 0.015) in placental MTHF concentration were observed. There were no differences observed between folic acid and levofolinate (\(t\)-value = 0.520, df = 5.99, \(p\) = 0.951) and 5 MTHF and d,l-folinic acid (\(t\)-value = 0.846, df = 5.55, \(p\) = 0.831). A post-hoc [PERSON]'s test to compare the embryo MTHF concentrations between the folate form groups after two doses of FR\(\alpha\)Ab shows decreases between folic acid and all reduced forms of folate (folic acid vs. 5 MTHF: \(t\)-value = \(-\)5.27, df = 13, \(p\) < 0.001, folic acid vs. levofolinate: \(t\)-value = \(-\)3.24, df = 13, \(p\) = 0.029, folic acid vs. d,l-folinic acid: \(t\)-value = \(-\)6.598, df = 13, \(p\) < 0.001) as well as difference between levofolinate and d,l-folinic acid (\(t\)-value = \(-\)3.566, df = 13, \(p\) = 0.016). There were no differences between 5 MTHF and both levofolinate (\(t\)-value = 2.54, df = 13, \(p\) = 0.1) and d,l-folinic acid (\(t\)-value = \(-\)0.550, df = 13, \(p\) = 0.945).