Vitamin B12 and folate during pregnancy and offspring motor, mental and social development at 2 years of age

Abstract

Insufficiency of vitamin B12 (B12) and folate during pregnancy can result in low concentrations in the fetus and have adverse effects on brain development. We investigated the relationship between maternal B12 and folate nutrition during pregnancy and offspring motor, mental and social development at two years of age (2 y). Mothers (n = 123) and their offspring (62 girls, 61 boys) from rural and middle-class urban communities in and around Pune city were followed through pregnancy up to 2 y. Maternal B12 and folate concentrations were measured at 28 and 34 weeks of gestation. At 2 y, the Developmental Assessment Scale for Indian Infants was used to determine motor and mental developmental quotients and the Vineland Social Maturity Scale for the social developmental quotient. Overall, 62% of the mothers had low B12 levels (<150 pmol/l) and one mother was folate deficient during pregnancy. Maternal B12 at 28 and 34 weeks of gestation was associated with offspring B12 at 2 y (r = 0.29, r = 0.32, P < 0.001), but folate was not associated with offspring folate. At 2 y, motor development was associated with maternal folate at 28 and 34 weeks of gestation. Mental and social development quotients were associated positively with head circumference and negatively with birth weight. In addition, pregnancy B12 and folate were positively associated with mental and social development quotients. Maternal B12 and folate during intrauterine life may favorably influence brain development and function. Pregnancy provides a window of opportunity to enhance fetal psychomotor (motor and mental) development.

Low serum folate status in the second trimester increase the risk of low birthweight in Chinese women

“…Similar to the other studies, the relationship between B12 and LBW was not found in our current work. However, a recent meta‐analysis observed B12 deficiency (<148 pmol/L) to be associated with increased risk of LBW infants with an adjusted risk ratio 1.15 …”

Periconceptional Folic Acid Supplementation Benefit to Development of Early Sensory-Motor Function through Increase DNA Methylation in Rat Offspring

“…There have also been reports of associations between periconceptional folate consumption and other aspects of human neurodevelopment, such as language delay and autism [ 6 , 8 , 9 ]. Additionally, positive associations have been found between maternal folate concentrations in early pregnancy and fetal head growth [ 22 ], and between maternal folate and children’s mental and social development quotients with children 2 years of age [ 23 ]. In our prevent study, the impact of periconceptual folate in adolescent and adult rat offspring also be discussed.…”

Vitamin B-12 and Cognition in Children

“…Two studies from India noted that a higher maternal vitamin B-12 status during pregnancy was associated with improved child cognitive outcomes and developmental indexes (43,45). One study from Mexico reported that inadequate maternal dietary intake of vitamin B-12 during pregnancy was associated with poorer developmental outcomes in their infants (50).…”