Nutritional Advice El Mondo
Objectives:
Maternal folic acid supplementation is considered mandatory in almost every country in the world to prevent congenital malformations. However, little is known about the association of maternal folic acid intake with the occurrence of childhood cancer. Therefore, this review article has been conducted.
Does maternal folic acid supplementation during pregnancy reduce risk of childhood cancer?
Study design:
This review article included 17 case-control studies.
Results and conclusions:
The investigators found in random-effects model, maternal folic acid supplementation during pregnancy significantly reduced risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia with 25% [OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.66 to 0.86].
Significantly because OR of 1 was not found in the 95% CI of 0.66 to 0.86. OR of 1 means no risk/association.
The investigators found in random-effects model, there was no significant association between maternal folic acid supplementation during pregnancy and acute myeloid leukaemia [OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.46 to 1.06] or childhood brain tumours [OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.88 to 1.19].
No significant because OR of 1 was found in the 95% CI of 0.88 to 1.19. OR of 1 means no risk/association.
The investigators concluded maternal folic acid supplementation during pregnancy reduces risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Thus, healthcare professionals are recommended to provide regular health education and health promotion to the community on the benefits of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy.
Original title:
The Protective Effect of Maternal Folic Acid Supplementation on Childhood Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Case-control Studies by Wan Ismail WR, Abdul Rahman R, […],Nawi AM.
Link:
https://www.jpmph.org/journal/view.php?doi=10.3961/jpmph.19.020
Additional information of El Mondo:
Find more information/studies on folic acid and pregnancy right here.