scholarly journals Assessment of different folic acid supplementation doses for low-birth-weight infants

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatma Cakmak Celik ◽  
Canan Aygun ◽  
Sedat Gulten ◽  
Abdulkerim Bedir ◽  
Erhan Cetinoglu ◽  
...  
PEDIATRICS ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 64 (6) ◽  
pp. 945-945

In the article "Folic Acid Supplementation in Low Birth Weight Infants," by Stevens et al (Pediatrics 64:333-335, 1979) two corrections were received after the journal went to press. In Table 1, RCF values should read ng/ml not µg/ml. On page 335, first column, line 21, RCF levels should read less than 100 ng/ml not 100 µg/ml.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Stevens ◽  
David Burman ◽  
M. Keith Strelling ◽  
Audrey Morris

Low birth weight infants(246) entered a trial of folic acid supplementation from 3 weeks to 12 months of age. The folic acid group had significantly higher mean hemoglobin levels at 6 and 9 months of age but the differences were only about 0.5 gm/dl, there was no significant difference in hematocrit, and in both groups of infants the mean hemoglobin levels were higher than those of normal birth weight infants. The differences in hemoglobin, although statistically significant, are of uncertain clinical significance. Median red cell folate levels remained within the normal adult range in both groups of infants. A minority of infants in the untreated group had low red cell folate levels but this was usually temporary, corrected by dietary folate, and not associated with low hemoglobin. Weight gain was not affected by folic acid supplementation. The infants in this trial were fed with a milk preparation containing 3.5 µg/100 ml of folic acid which is a similar concentration to that of human milk and we recommend that the folate content of milks fed to low birth weight infants should not fall below this level. We do not have sufficient grounds to recommend routine folic acid supplements for all low birth weight infants throughout the first year of life but there is a possibility that their folate intake may sometimes be suboptimal.


2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andualem Zenebe ◽  
Kaleab Tesfaye Tegegne ◽  
Berhanu Bifato ◽  
Abiyu Ayalew Assefa

Abstract Background Previous studies on iron with folic acid supplementation and low birth weight indicated different findings. The aim of the current systemic review and meta-analysis was to examine the relationship between iron and folic acid supplementation and birth weight in Ethiopia. Main body The databases searched were PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science and Cochrane Library in January 2021. AZ, KTT and AAA carried out the data extraction and independently assessed the articles for inclusion in the review using risk-of-bias tool guided by PRISMA checklist. The combined Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was calculated using random effect model. Twenty four observational studies involving 10,989 participants, 2423 newborns who were born LBW were included. The combined effect size (OR) for low birth weight comparing women who have Iron and Folic acid supplementation versus women who did not have iron and folic acid supplementation was 0.39 (95% CI 0.27–0.59, p < 0.00001, I2 = 91%). There was significant heterogeneity (Q = 264.16, I2 = 91%, p < 0.00001). No publication bias was observed (Egger’s test: p = 0.742, Begg’s test: p = 0.372). Overall 69.5% of women reported having iron and folic acid supplementation during current pregnancy. And the overall proportion of low birth weight was 22.1%. Conclusions Women who were supplied with iron and folic acid during pregnancy had a 67% decreased chance of delivering low birth weight new born in Ethiopia.


2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (5) ◽  
pp. 777-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Timmermans ◽  
Vincent W. V. Jaddoe ◽  
Albert Hofman ◽  
Régine P. M. Steegers-Theunissen ◽  
Eric A. P. Steegers

Countries worldwide, including the Netherlands, recommend that women planning pregnancy use a folic acid supplement during the periconception period. Some countries even fortify staple foods with folic acid. These recommendations mainly focus on the prevention of neural tube defects, despite increasing evidence that folic acid may also influence birth weight. We examined whether periconception folic acid supplementation affects fetal growth and the risks of low birth weight, small for gestational age (SGA) and preterm birth, in the Generation R Study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Main outcome measures were fetal growth measured in mid- and late pregnancy by ultrasound, birth weight, SGA and preterm birth in relation to periconception folic supplementation (0·4–0·5 mg). Data on 6353 pregnancies were available. Periconception folic acid supplementation was positively associated with fetal growth. Preconception folic acid supplementation was associated with 68 g higher birth weight (95 % CI 37·2, 99·0) and 13 g higher placental weight (95 % CI 1·1, 25·5), compared to no folic acid supplementation. In these analyses parity significantly modified the effect estimates. Start of folic acid supplementation after pregnancy confirmation was associated with a reduced risk of low birth weight (OR 0·61, 95 % CI 0·40, 0·94). Similarly, reduced risks for low birth weight and SGA were observed for women who started supplementation preconceptionally, compared to those who did not use folic acid (OR 0·43, 95 % CI 0·28, 0·69 and OR 0·40, 95 % CI 0·22, 0·72). In conclusion, periconception folic acid supplementation is associated with increased fetal growth resulting in higher placental and birth weight, and decreased risks of low birth weight and SGA.


1972 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 371-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. P. Dawson

A 2-part study was carried out to assess the degree of folate deficiency in low birth weight infants and to determine the effects of oral prophylactic folic acid in such a group. No general deficiency up to the age of 3 months was shown. The effects of folic acid prophylaxis on various parameters is described.


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