Periconceptional folic acid supplementation and risk of parent-reported asthma in children at 4–6 years of age

BackgroundFolic acid supplementation is universally recommended for women of child-bearing age to prevent fetal neural tube defects (NTDs). Concerns have arisen over the potential risk for childhood allergy and asthma due to folic acid supplementation. We examined whether periconceptional supplementation with low-dose folic acid only was associated with an increased risk for allergy symptoms or asthma in offspring at 4–6 years of age.MethodsOut of 247 831 participating women enrolled in 1993–1996, 9090 were randomly selected and their children were followed up in 2000–2001. Information on mothers' demographic characteristics, folic acid supplementation and allergic diseases among children was collected. We used logistic regression to evaluate the association between folic acid intake and risk for allergic disease while adjusting for potential confounding factors.ResultsThe rate of allergy symptoms was 1.54% among children whose mothers had taken folic acid compared with 2.04% among those whose mothers had not taken folic acid, and the rate of asthma was 0.92% and 0.88%, respectively. Maternal folic acid supplementation was not associated with risk for allergy symptoms or asthma, with odds ratios (95% CI) of 0.80 (0.58–1.11) and 1.04 (0.67–1.61), respectively. No differences in the occurrence of allergy symptoms or asthma were observed when data were analysed by timing of supplementation or compliance with folic acid supplementation.ConclusionsSupplementation with low-dose folic acid only during the periconceptional period did not increase risk for allergy symptoms or asthma in children at 4–6 years of age in a population without staple fortification with folic acid.

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Low-dose folic acid supplementation reduces homocysteine concentration in hyperhomocysteinemic coronary artery disease patients

Nutrition Research ◽

10.1016/j.nutres.2006.08.001 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 26 (9) ◽

pp. 460-466 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Ping-Ting Lin ◽

Bor-Jen Lee ◽

Han-Hsin Chang ◽

Chien-Hsiang Cheng ◽

An-Jung Tsai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coronary Artery Disease ◽

Folic Acid ◽

Coronary Artery ◽

Low Dose ◽

Folic Acid Supplementation ◽

Acid Supplementation ◽

Homocysteine Concentration ◽

Artery Disease

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Maternal Folic Acid Intake and Risk of Nonsyndromic Orofacial Clefts: A Hospital-Based Case–Control Study in Bangalore, India

The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal ◽

10.1177/1055665619893214 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 57 (6) ◽

pp. 678-686

Author(s):

Vivienne J. Mendonca

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Folic Acid Supplementation ◽

Folic Acid Intake ◽

Orofacial Clefts ◽

Dietary Folate ◽

Acid Supplementation ◽

Folic Acid Supplements ◽

Periconceptional Period ◽

Control Study

Background: Orofacial clefts are the most common congenital anomaly worldwide. Cleft etiology appears to be multifactorial, with genetic and environmental components. Although periconceptional folic acid supplementation has been shown to be protective for neural tube defects, current evidence for its role in cleft prevention is mixed with few studies from low- and middle-income countries. Aim: To investigate the association between periconceptional folic acid intake and incidence of nonsyndromic orofacial clefts among infants in Bangalore, India. Methods: A hospital-based case–control study (106 cases, 212 controls) utilizing a questionnaire to collect data on prenatal supplements, dietary folate, and potentially confounding factors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess relationships between folic acid supplementation and all nonsyndromic clefts, and in separate analyses for cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and cleft palate (CP), adjusting for statistically significant variables. Results: A statistically significant protective association was found for separate folic acid supplements (not combined with iron or multivitamins) taken in the periconceptional period and all clefts combined (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.86) and CL/P (adjusted OR: 0.57; 95% CI, 0.38-0.86). Higher levels of dietary folate were found to be associated with a reduced risk for all clefts (adjusted OR: 0.98, 95% CI, 0.96-0.99), CL/P (adjusted OR: 0.98, 95% CI, 0.96-0.99), and CP (adjusted OR: 0.96, 95% CI, 0.93-0.99). Conclusion: This study provides limited evidence for a protective association of periconceptional folic acid supplementation with nonsyndromic orofacial clefts. The low proportion of mothers taking folic acid supplements in the periconceptional period highlights the need for increased education and awareness regarding prenatal nutrition.

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Social Inequalities in Prenatal Folic Acid Supplementation: Results from the ELFE Cohort

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu11051108 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 1108 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Aurore Camier ◽

Manik Kadawathagedara ◽

Sandrine Lioret ◽

Corinne Bois ◽

Marie Cheminat ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Family Income ◽

Social Inequalities ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Unplanned Pregnancy ◽

Folic Acid Supplementation ◽

Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽

Acid Supplementation ◽

Periconceptional Period ◽

Maternal Overweight

Most professional and international organizations recommend folic acid supplementation for women planning pregnancy. Various studies have shown high levels of non-compliance with this recommendation. This study aimed to identify sociodemographic characteristics related to this compliance. The analyses were based on 16,809 women from the French nationwide ELFE cohort (Etude Longitudinale Française depuis l’Enfance). Folic acid supplementation was assessed at delivery, and sociodemographic characteristics were collected at two months postpartum. The association between sociodemographic characteristics and compliance with recommendations on folic acid supplementation (no supplementation, periconceptional supplementation, and supplementation only after the periconceptional period) was examined using multivariate multinomial logistic regression. Only 26% of French women received folic acid supplementation during the periconceptional period, 10% of women received supplementation after the periconceptional period, and 64% received no supplementation. Young maternal age, low education level, low family income, multiparity, single parenthood, maternal unemployment, maternal overweight, and smoking during pregnancy were related to lower likelihood of folic acid supplementation during the periconceptional period compared to no supplementation. These associations were not explained by unplanned pregnancy. Immigrant and underweight women were more likely to receive folic acid supplementation after the periconceptional period. Our study confirms great social disparities in France regarding the compliance with the recommendations on folic acid supplementation.

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The effect of folic acid supplementation on the toxicity of low-dose methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Arthritis & Rheumatism ◽

10.1002/art.1780330102 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 9-18 ◽

Cited By ~ 165

Author(s):

Sarah L. Morgan ◽

Joseph E. Baggott ◽

William H. Vaughn ◽

Peggy K. Young ◽

Janet V. Austin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Folic Acid ◽

Low Dose ◽

Folic Acid Supplementation ◽

Acid Supplementation ◽

Dose Methotrexate

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Serum folate and whole blood global DNA methylation response to chronic folic acid supplementation in normal weight and obese women of child‐bearing age (817.2)

The FASEB Journal ◽

10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.817.2 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 28 (S1) ◽

Author(s):

Gail Kauwell ◽

Marie Caudill ◽

Dorothy Hausman ◽

Hea Jin Park ◽

Deanna Shade ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Methylation ◽

Folic Acid ◽

Whole Blood ◽

Folic Acid Supplementation ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Serum Folate ◽

Global Dna Methylation ◽

Obese Women ◽

Acid Supplementation ◽

Child Bearing

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Effect of long-term low-dose folic acid supplementation on degree of total homocysteine-lowering: major effect modifiers

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114518002477 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 120 (10) ◽

pp. 1122-1130 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Binyan Wang ◽

Hongxu Wu ◽

Youbao Li ◽

Qianyun Ban ◽

Xiao Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Folic Acid ◽

Low Dose ◽

Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase ◽

Smoking Status ◽

Folic Acid Supplementation ◽

Major Effect ◽

Acid Supplementation ◽

Total Homocysteine ◽

Using Data

AbstractWe sought to examine the potential modifiers in the association between long-term low-dose folic acid supplementation and the reduction of serum total homocysteine (tHcy) among hypertensive patients, using data from the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT). This analysis included 16 867 participants who had complete data on tHcy measurements at both the baseline and exit visit. After a median treatment period of 4·5 years, folic acid treatment significantly reduced the tHcy levels by 1·6 μmol/l (95 % CI 1·4, 1·8). More importantly, after adjustment for baseline tHcy and other important covariates, a greater degree of tHcy reduction was observed in certain subgroups: males, the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677TT genotype, higher baseline tHcy levels (≥12·5 (median) v. <12·5 μmol/l), lower folate levels (<8·0 (median) v. ≥8·0 ng/ml), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min per 1·73 m2 (v. 60–<90 and ≥90 ml/min per 1·73 m2), ever smokers and concomitant use of diuretics (P for all interactions <0·05). The degree of tHcy reduction associated with long-term folic acid supplementation can be significantly affected by sex, MTHFR C677T genotypes, baseline folate, tHcy, eGFR levels and smoking status.

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