12.01.11
Nutraceutical: Folic acid
Indication: Language delay in children
Source: JAMA, October 12, 2011; 306(14):1566-73.
Research: The goal of this study was to examine associations between mothers’ use of prenatal folic acid supplements and risk of severe language delay in their children at age 3. The prospective observational Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study recruited pregnant women between 1999 and December 2008. Data on children born before 2008 whose mothers returned the 3-year follow-up questionnaire by June 16, 2010, were used. Maternal use of folic acid supplements within the interval from 4 weeks before to 8 weeks after conception was the exposure. Researchers measured children’s language competency at age 3, measured by maternal report on a 6-point ordinal language grammar scale. Children with minimal expressive language (only 1-word or unintelligible utterances) were rated as having severe language delay.
Results: Among 38,954 children, 204 (0.5%) had severe language delay. Children whose mothers took no dietary supplements in the specified exposure interval were the reference group (n = 9052 [24%], with severe language delay in 81 children [0.9%]). Among this Norwegian cohort of mothers and children, maternal use of folic acid supplements in early pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of severe language delay in children at age 3.
Indication: Language delay in children
Source: JAMA, October 12, 2011; 306(14):1566-73.
Research: The goal of this study was to examine associations between mothers’ use of prenatal folic acid supplements and risk of severe language delay in their children at age 3. The prospective observational Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study recruited pregnant women between 1999 and December 2008. Data on children born before 2008 whose mothers returned the 3-year follow-up questionnaire by June 16, 2010, were used. Maternal use of folic acid supplements within the interval from 4 weeks before to 8 weeks after conception was the exposure. Researchers measured children’s language competency at age 3, measured by maternal report on a 6-point ordinal language grammar scale. Children with minimal expressive language (only 1-word or unintelligible utterances) were rated as having severe language delay.
Results: Among 38,954 children, 204 (0.5%) had severe language delay. Children whose mothers took no dietary supplements in the specified exposure interval were the reference group (n = 9052 [24%], with severe language delay in 81 children [0.9%]). Among this Norwegian cohort of mothers and children, maternal use of folic acid supplements in early pregnancy was associated with a reduced risk of severe language delay in children at age 3.