Deficiency of the B-complex vitamin folic acid (also called folate) is linked to birth defects (such as spina bifida), poor hearing, poor cognitive performance, atherosclerosis and osteoporosis. Studies suggest that folic acid supplementation can help prevent neural tube birth defects, lower levels of homocysteine (a metabolite that damages blood vessels) and improve blood flow. Cleft lip and cleft palate are common birth defects. Now research reports that folic acid supplementation during pregnancy can also help prevent cleft lip in newborns.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal, examined the effect of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy in the prevention of cleft lip. Researchers at the National Institute of Health (NIH) analyzed the data of 377 infants with cleft lip with or without cleft palate, 196 infants with cleft palate, and 763 healthy infants, born between 1996 and 2001 in Norway. Questionnaires were obtained from the infants' mothers and analyzed for dietary folates, multivitamins and folic acid supplements during pregnancy.
The researchers found that 400 micrograms or more of folic acid supplementation daily during early pregnancy was linked with a 39 percent reduced risk of cleft lip in newborns. Dietary folate alone was linked with a 25 percent reduced risk of cleft lip. However, women who supplemented with folic acid and multivitamins along with dietary folate, had a 74 percent reduced risk of cleft lip in their infants.
"Folic acid supplements during early pregnancy seem to reduce the risk of isolated cleft lip (with or without cleft palate) by about a third," the study authors conclude. "Other vitamins and dietary factors may provide additional benefit."
REFERENCES:
1. Wilcox AJ et al. Folic acid supplements and risk of facial clefts: national population based case-control study. BMJ 2007 Mar 3;334(7591):464. Epub 2007 Jan 26.
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on March 11, 2007 04:19 PM
