Healthcare providers have recommended that women who are pregnant or could become pregnant take a multi-vitamin with folic acid for decades. Now that most of these women have had children epidemiological studies can look at the effects of vitamin supplemenation on a variety of factors. In a new report researchers found offspring born to women who regularly took a prenatal vitamin are less likely to develop a brain tumor.
The study, published in the September issue of Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention, gathered information on more than 300 children with brain tumors including the use of vitamin and mineral supplements during the pregnancy. Then their information was compared to an equal number of controls (children without brain tumors).
The mothers of children with brain tumors were less likely to take a vitamin supplement than those mothers of children without brain tumors.
The authors concluded that supplementation with a multivitamin during pregnancy may protect your offspring from a brain tumor.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on October 27, 2006 02:51 PM
