Relationship between dietary folate intakes, maternal plasma total homocysteine and B-vitamins during pregnancy and fetal growth in Japan

Abstract

Our data suggest that higher plasma tHcy in the third trimester is a predictor of lower birth weight. In general, the dietary intake of B-vitamins and energy may be inadequate in our population, suggesting intervention is necessary.

More than 50% of Pregnant Japanese Women with an Intake of 150 ^|^mu;g Dietary Folate per 1,000 kcal Can Maintain Values above the Cut-Off

“…Nevertheless, more than 50% of pregnant Japanese women could maintain blood folate values greater than the cut-off value. A similar result was already reported by Takimoto et al (7). Therefore, the present EAR of folate (1) might have been set at too high a level.…”

“…There is one paper about the changes of the blood folate concentrations in Japanese women during pregnancy (7): In that report, average folate intake was less than 300 mg/d with a mean energy intake of about 1,800 kcal/d, and the mean erythrocyte folate con-centrations were 1,317, 909, 813 nmol/L in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. The folate concentrations were lower in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy than in the first trimester; however, each of the values was much higher than the cut-off value of 300 nmol/L (4).…”

“…The folate concentrations were lower in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy than in the first trimester; however, each of the values was much higher than the cut-off value of 300 nmol/L (4). In addition, Takimoto et al (7) reported that the serum mean folate concentrations were 23.2, 19.3, 23.1 nmol/L in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. Each of the values was much higher than the cut-off value of 7 nmol/L (4).…”

Erythrocyte folate concentrations, CpG methylation at genomically imprinted domains, and birth weight in a multiethnic newborn cohort

“…13 In humans, evidence of associations between maternal folate concentrations and fetal growth is conflicting, as high levels have been linked to both low and high birth weight, [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] while other studies found no associations. [25][26][27][28][29][30][31] Extremes of the birth weight distribution have been associated with a wide range of childhood and adultonset chronic diseases and conditions including obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure and some cancers. [32][33][34][35][36] Periconceptional and perinatal exposure to FA supplements has also been linked to wheezing in mice 37 and humans, 38 as well as childhood asthma.…”

Fetal nutritional origins of adult diseases: challenges for epidemiological research

“…Results from animal studies showing associations between maternal iron levels and blood pressure in the offspring could not be replicated in children [33,34]. Recent studies showed that low folate acid levels and high homocysteine levels are associated with both low birth weight and increased blood pressure in children [35][36][37]. Folate levels seem also to be associated with endothelial dysfunction in children, which is an early risk factor for development of atherosclerosis in adulthood [38].…”