» Articles » PMID: 22572645

Maternal Folate Status in Early Pregnancy and Child Emotional and Behavioral Problems: the Generation R Study

Overview
Journal Am J Clin Nutr
Publisher Elsevier
Date 2012 May 11
PMID 22572645
Citations 46
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Background: Maternal prenatal folate status has been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, but the association with child emotional and behavioral problems is unclear.

Objectives: We assessed the association of maternal folate status during pregnancy with child emotional and behavioral problems. Also, we examined whether any association between folate status and child problems is a consequence of maternal folic acid supplement use or variation in maternal MTHFR genotype.

Design: Within a population-based cohort, we measured maternal plasma folate concentrations in early pregnancy and assessed folic acid supplement use by questionnaire. Mothers of European descent were genotyped for the MTHFR 677 C→T polymorphism. Child emotional and behavioral problems were assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist at 3 y in 3209 children.

Results: Children of mothers with prenatal folate deficiency were at higher risk of emotional problems (OR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.38) but not behavioral problems (OR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.64, 1.56) after adjustment for confounders. A higher risk of emotional problems was also found in children whose mothers started using folic acid supplements late or did not use supplements at all (OR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.84) than in children whose mothers started periconceptionally. However, low plasma folate concentrations only partly explained this association (OR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.78). Although related to plasma folate concentrations, maternal MTHFR genotype did not explain the association of folate status with offspring emotional problems.

Conclusion: Low maternal folate status during early pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of emotional problems in the offspring.

Citing Articles

Randomized controlled trial of 4.0 mg versus 0.4 mg folic acid supplementation: Follow-up of children at 1 year of age.

Bortolus R, Filippini F, Cipriani S, Trevisanuto D, Marchetti F, Mastroiacovo P Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol X. 2025; 25:100370.

PMID: 40027877 PMC: 11869910. DOI: 10.1016/j.eurox.2025.100370.


Invited Perspective: Protect and Serve-The Potential Role of Folate in Lead Risk Reduction.

Dickerson A, Schmidt R Environ Health Perspect. 2024; 132(10):101302.

PMID: 39412271 PMC: 11481931. DOI: 10.1289/EHP16216.


An Evaluation of Food and Nutrient Intake among Pregnant Women in The Netherlands: A Systematic Review.

Ter Borg S, Koopman N, Verkaik-Kloosterman J Nutrients. 2023; 15(13).

PMID: 37447397 PMC: 10346763. DOI: 10.3390/nu15133071.


The silent tragic reality of anaemia, and neural-tube defects (NTDs) in India.

Antony A, Vora R, Karmarkar S Lancet Reg Health Southeast Asia. 2023; 6:100071.

PMID: 37383344 PMC: 10305893. DOI: 10.1016/j.lansea.2022.100071.


Prenatal folic acid supplement/dietary folate and cognitive development in 4-year-old offspring from the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Nishigori H, Nishigori T, Obara T, Suzuki T, Mori M, Imaizumi K Sci Rep. 2023; 13(1):9541.

PMID: 37308528 PMC: 10260997. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36484-8.