nutrients Article
Maternal Continuing Folic Acid Supplementation after the First Trimester of Pregnancy Increased the Risk of Large-for-Gestational-Age Birth: A Population-Based Birth Cohort Study Sufang Wang 1,2 , Xing Ge 1,2 , Beibei Zhu 1,2 , Yujie Xuan 1 , Kun Huang 1,2 , Erigene Rutayisire 1,2 , Leijing Mao 1,2 , Sanhuan Huang 1,2 , Shuangqin Yan 3 and Fangbiao Tao 1,2, * 1
2 3
*
Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; [email protected] (S.W.); [email protected] (X.G.); [email protected] (B.Z.); [email protected](Y.X.); [email protected] (K.H.); [email protected] (E.R.); [email protected] (L.M.); [email protected] (S.H.) Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China Ma’Anshan Maternal and Child Health Care Center, Ma’Anshan 234000, China; [email protected] Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +86-551-65161169; Fax: +86-551-6516-1155
Received: 10 May 2016; Accepted: 5 August 2016; Published: 15 August 2016
Abstract: Supplementation with folic acid (FA) was proven to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) and was recommended worldwide before and during early pregnancy. However, much less is known regarding the role of FA after the 12th gestational week (GW). This study aimed to investigate the related effects of continued FA supplementation after the first trimester of pregnancy on fetal growth. The study subjects came from the Ma’anshan-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (MABC) that recruited 3474 pregnant women from the city of Ma’anshan in Anhui Province in China during the period of May 2013 to September 2014. The information on use of vitamin and mineral supplements was recorded in different periods (the first/second/third trimester of pregnancy). Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births were live-born infants that were two times/week during the studied period were defined as FA supplements users. Anthropometric parameters at birth were obtained from the hospital delivery logs. Birth weight, birth length, head circumference and chest circumference of all neonates were measured by midwife at birth. Gestational age was calculated based on the last menstruation period or ultrasound to estimate if their menstruation period were irregular. In this study, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births were live-born infants that were
Maternal Continuing Folic Acid Supplementation after the First Trimester of Pregnancy Increased the Risk of Large-for-Gestational-Age Birth: A Population-Based Birth Cohort Study Sufang Wang 1,2 , Xing Ge 1,2 , Beibei Zhu 1,2 , Yujie Xuan 1 , Kun Huang 1,2 , Erigene Rutayisire 1,2 , Leijing Mao 1,2 , Sanhuan Huang 1,2 , Shuangqin Yan 3 and Fangbiao Tao 1,2, * 1
2 3
*
Department of Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; [email protected] (S.W.); [email protected] (X.G.); [email protected] (B.Z.); [email protected](Y.X.); [email protected] (K.H.); [email protected] (E.R.); [email protected] (L.M.); [email protected] (S.H.) Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China Ma’Anshan Maternal and Child Health Care Center, Ma’Anshan 234000, China; [email protected] Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +86-551-65161169; Fax: +86-551-6516-1155
Received: 10 May 2016; Accepted: 5 August 2016; Published: 15 August 2016
Abstract: Supplementation with folic acid (FA) was proven to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) and was recommended worldwide before and during early pregnancy. However, much less is known regarding the role of FA after the 12th gestational week (GW). This study aimed to investigate the related effects of continued FA supplementation after the first trimester of pregnancy on fetal growth. The study subjects came from the Ma’anshan-Anhui Birth Cohort Study (MABC) that recruited 3474 pregnant women from the city of Ma’anshan in Anhui Province in China during the period of May 2013 to September 2014. The information on use of vitamin and mineral supplements was recorded in different periods (the first/second/third trimester of pregnancy). Small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births were live-born infants that were two times/week during the studied period were defined as FA supplements users. Anthropometric parameters at birth were obtained from the hospital delivery logs. Birth weight, birth length, head circumference and chest circumference of all neonates were measured by midwife at birth. Gestational age was calculated based on the last menstruation period or ultrasound to estimate if their menstruation period were irregular. In this study, small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births were live-born infants that were
