Association of antioxidant vitamins and oxidative stress levels in pregnancy with infant growth during the first year of life

Abstract

Objective: Whereas there are numerous reports in the literature relating the impact of maternal nutritional status on subsequent birth outcome, much less is known about the long-term impact on infant growth after birth. Therefore, we conducted a prospective cohort study to investigate the association of maternal micronutrient status (vitamins A, C and E, folate) and oxidative stress status in pregnancy with infant growth during the first year of life. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Outpatient clinic of obstetrics, Ewha Womans University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea. Subjects and methods: Two groups were constructed for this study -the Ewha pregnancy cohort (n 5 677) and the infant growth cohort comprising follow-up live newborns of all the recruited pregnant women (n 5 317). Maternal serum vitamin and urinary oxidative stress levels were collected and infant weights and heights were measured at birth and at 6 and 12 months after birth. Results: Division of the subjects into folate-deficient and normal groups revealed that infant weight and height at 0, 6 and 12 months were adversely affected by folate deficiency. High maternal vitamin C was associated with increased infant weight and height at birth and after birth. Conclusion: Our findings indicate the importance of preventing folate deficiency and supplementing vitamin C during pregnancy.

Interventions with Vitamins B6, B12 and C in Pregnancy

“…Data on morbidity, mortality and growth of children whose mothers received vitamin C supplements during pregnancy are not available. One prospective cohort study of oxidative stress and antioxidant vitamin status in South Korea found that mothers in the highest quartile of vitamin C concentration at 24–28 weeks' gestation had infants with significantly greater weight and length at birth, 6 and 12 months after adjustment for confounders 123 …”

Administration of zinc against arsenic-induced nephrotoxicity during gestation and lactation in rat model

“…So this confirms that the zinc is important in the development pre- and postnatal (41). In fact, the use of zinc supplements increases birth weight and decreases related pregnancy complications (42). …”

Effects of Multimicronutrient Supplementation during Pregnancy on Postnatal Growth of Children under 5 Years of Age: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

“…However, the beneficial effect of antenatal micronutrients supplementation on postnatal growth of children is still unclear. It was reported that children of mothers with higher levels of vitamin C during pregnancy may be taller and heavier at the age of 6 and 12 months [10]. In another study carried out in Indonesia, vitamin A supplementation among pregnant women improves child growth at certain periods in the first two years compared with the combined supplementation of zinc and vitamin A [11].…”