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Lower maternal folate status in early pregnancy is associated with childhood hyperactivity and peer problems in offspring
Open accessAbstract
Background: Maternal nutrition during pregnancy has been linked with fetal brain development and psychopathology in the offspring. We examined for associations of maternal folate status and dietary intake during pregnancy with brain growth and childhood behavioural difficulties in the offspring. Methods: In a prospective cohort study, maternal red blood cell folate (RCF) was measured at 14 weeks of pregnancy and total folate intake (TFI) from food and supplements was assessed in early and late pregnancy. The offspring’s head circumference and body weight were measured at birth and in infancy, and 100 mothers reported on children’s behavioural difficulties at a mean age of 8.75 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results: Lower maternal RCF and TFI in early pregnancy were associated with higher childhood hyperactivity (RCF: beta = −.24; p = .013; TFI: beta = −.24; p = .022) and peer problems scores (RCF: beta = −.28; p = .004; TFI: beta = −.28; p = .009) in the offspring. Maternal gestational RCF was positively associated with head circumference at birth (adjusted for gestational age), and mediation analyses showed significant inverse indirect associations of RCF with hyperactivity/inattention and peer problems via fetal brain growth. Adjustment for mother’s smoking and drinking alcohol during pregnancy did not change the results. Conclusions: Although the associations are small and residual confounding is possible, our data provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that lower folate status in early pregnancy might impair fetal brain development and affect hyperactivity/inattention and peer problems in childhood.
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“There is wide evidence that pre and periconceptional folate supplementation supports neural and neurobehavioral development, bolstering social, cognitive and verbal functioning [235–237].”
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Metadata
- Authors
- Schlotz, W., Jones, A., Phillips, D. I. W., Gale, C. R., Robinson, S. M., & Godfrey, K. M.
- Affiliations
- University of Southampton (GB)
- Venue
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2010-04
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 594-602
- ISSN
- 0021-9630 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-7610
- PMC
- PMC2862762
- OpenAlex
- W1722263777
- Cited by
- 165
- References
- 51
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 6.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Medical Research Council
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD041107, 1 R01 HD41107-01)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Folate and B Vitamins Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Keywords
- maternal folate status, red blood cell folate, maternal nutrition, fetal brain development, hyperactive children, peer problems, prenatal exposure
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Child Behavior, Child Behavior Disorders, Female, Folic Acid, Gestational Age, Head, Humans, Male, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Prospective Studies, Sex Factors, Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Fetal Development
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