Effects of maternal folic acid supplementation during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy on neurocognitive development in the child: an 11-year follow-up from a randomised controlled trial

2021
Aoife Caffrey, Helene McNulty, Mark Rollins, Girijesh Prasad, Pramod Gaur, Joel B. Talcott, Caroline Witton, Tony Cassidy, Barry Marshall, James Dornan, Adrian J. Moore, Mary Ward, J. J. Strain, Anne M. Molloy, Marian McLaughlin, Diane J. Lees-Murdock, Colum P. Walsh & Kristina Pentieva

Abstract

Background

Maternal folic acid (FA) supplementation before and in early pregnancy prevents neural tube defects (NTD), but it is uncertain whether continuing FA after the first trimester has benefits on offspring health. We aimed to evaluate the effect of FA supplementation throughout pregnancy on cognitive performance and brain function in the child.

Conclusions

Continued FA supplementation in pregnancy beyond the early period currently recommended to prevent NTD can benefit neurocognitive development of the child. MEG provides a non-invasive tool in pediatric research to objectively assess functional brain activity in response to nutrition and other interventions.