Preconception & Pregnancy

Health authorities throughout the world encourage women of childbearing age to take folate supplements, as there is a direct link between folate levels of a mother-to-be and the health of the unborn child. Recent studies conducted with Metafolin^® show clear benefits of the naturally-occurring predominant form of folate.

Especially the occurrence of neural tube defects (NTD's), a major and common birth defect, is directly linked to insufficient folate levels during preconception and early pregnancy. This knowledge is derived from early observational studies which were later supplemented by intervention studies. These provided strong evidence that folic acid supplementation can reduce the risk of the recurrence and occurrence of NTD's. Some observational studies relied on food intake data and showed that diets rich in folate are also associated with decreased incidence of NTD-affected births.

NTD's are congenital malformations which result when the neural plate fails to close during the formation of the neural tube during early embryonic development. Spina bifida and anencephaly are the most frequently occurring forms of neural tube defects.


Key Publications / References:

Y. Lamers, R. Prinz-Langenohl, S. Brämswig, K. Pietrzik (2006):
Red blood cell folate concentrations increase more after supplementation with (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate than with folic acid in women of childbearing age.
Am J Clin Nutr, 84: 156-61.

L. Houghton, K. Sherwood, R. Pawlosky, S. Ito, D. O'Connor (2006):
(6S)-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate is at least as effective as folic acid in preventing a decline in blood folate concentrations during lactation.
Am J Clin Nutr, 83, 842-50.

L. Daly, P. Kirke, A. Molloy, D. Weir, J. Scott (1995):
Folate levels and neural tube defects. Implications for prevention.
JAMA. 274(21): 1698-702.

Further readings