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European Journal of Nutrition

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01-06-2020 | Folic Acid | Original Contribution

Effects of maternal folic acid supplementation during pregnancy on infant neurodevelopment at 1 month of age: a birth cohort study in China

Authors: Jing Yan, Yun Zhu, Lu-Jia Cao, Yu-Yan Liu, Yu-Zhi Zheng, Wen Li, Guo-Wei Huang

Published in: European Journal of Nutrition | Issue 4/2020

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to explore effects of maternal folic acid (FA) supplementation during pregnancy on neurodevelopment in 1-month-old infants and to determine whether effects may be related to maternal circulating inflammatory cytokine concentrations.

Methods

This birth cohort study recruited 1186 mother–infant pairs in Tianjin, China, between July 2015 and July 2017. The women completed interviewer-administered questionnaires on their lifestyles and FA supplementation during pregnancy. Neurodevelopment was assessed in 1-month-old infants using a standard neuropsychological examination table. In 192 women, serum homocysteine (Hcy) and inflammatory cytokine concentrations were measured at 16–18 weeks of gestation.

Results

The infants whose mothers took FA supplements during pregnancy had a significantly higher development quotient (DQ) compared with those whose mothers were non-users (P < 0.05). After adjustment for maternal characteristics, supplementary FA use for 1–3 months, 3–6 months, and > 6 months were associated with the increases of 7.7, 11.0, and 7.4 units in the scale of infant DQ score compared with women reporting no supplement use, respectively (P < 0.05). FA supplementation was associated with a decreased serum concentration of Hcy (β = \(-\) 0.19), which was correlated with women’s serum inflammatory cytokine concentrations at 16–18 weeks of gestation (β = 0.57). Serum inflammatory cytokine concentrations were inversely related to DQ score in the 1-months-old offspring (β = \(-\) 0.22).

Conclusions

Maternal FA supplementation during pregnancy favors neurodevelopment in the offspring at 1-month-old. This association may be mediated by changes in serum Hcy and inflammatory cytokine concentrations throughout pregnancy.

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Title: Effects of maternal folic acid supplementation during pregnancy on infant neurodevelopment at 1 month of age: a birth cohort study in China
Authors: Jing Yan
Yun Zhu
Lu-Jia Cao
Yu-Yan Liu
Yu-Zhi Zheng
Wen Li
Guo-Wei Huang
Publication date: 01-06-2020
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keywords: Folic Acid
Cytokines
Published in: European Journal of Nutrition / Issue 4/2020
Print ISSN: 1436-6207
Electronic ISSN: 1436-6215
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-019-01986-7

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Effects of maternal folic acid supplementation during pregnancy on infant neurodevelopment at 1 month of age: a birth cohort study in China

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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Abstract

Purpose

Methods

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Conclusions

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