Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes
03:19

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

No association between periconceptional multivitamin supplementation and risk of multiple congenital abnormalities: a

Andrew E Czeizel1, Erzsébet H Puhó, Ferenc Bánhidy

  • 1Foundation for the Community Control of Hereditary Diseases, Budapest, Hungary. czeizel@interware.hu

American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part A
|October 17, 2006
PubMed

Two previous Hungarian intervention trials showed that periconceptional folic acid-containing multivitamin supplementation did not change the total (birth + fetal) prevalence of cases with multiple congenital abnormalities (MCAs). However, two US observational studies found an elevated risk for MCAs in the offspring of women who reported periconceptional use of multivitamins containing folic acid. These conflicting results stimulated us to evaluate the data set of the Hungarian Case-Control Surveillance of Congenital Abnormalities and to check the possible association between the use of periconceptional multivitamin supplementations and the total prevalence of cases with MCAs. Of 1,349 cases with MCA, 69 (5.1%) had mothers who used multivitamins during the second and third month of pregnancy. Of 2,405 matched controls without any defect, 126 (5.2%) had mothers who used multivitamin supplementation in early pregnancy. Of 21,494 malformed controls with isolated congenital abnormalities, 1,052 (4.9%) mothers received supplementation with multivitamins during the critical period of CAs including MCAs. There was no difference in the use of multivitamins among the study groups either in the total data set or at the evaluation of only prospective medically recorded data. Medically recorded folic acid use without any multivitamins in the second and third gestational month showed some protective effect for MCAs. In conclusion, our observational case-control study did not detect a folic acid containing multivitamins during the early pregnancy as a risk factor for MCAs.

Related Concept Videos

Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
Confounding in Epidemiological Studies01:27

Confounding in Epidemiological Studies

Confounding in statistical epidemiology represents a pivotal challenge, referring to the distortion in the perceived relationship between an exposure and an outcome due to the presence of a third variable, known as a confounder. This variable is associated with both the exposure and the outcome but is not a direct link in their causal chain. Its presence can lead to erroneous interpretations of the exposure's effect, either exaggerating or underestimating the true association. This phenomenon...
Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity01:25

Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity

Mutagenicity and carcinogenicity refer to the ability of drugs to cause genetic defects and induce cancer, respectively. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies agents into four groups based on their carcinogenic potential. Group 1 agents are known human carcinogens; group 2A agents are probably carcinogenic to humans; group 3 agents lack data to support their role in carcinogenesis; and group 4 includes agents for which data support that they are not likely to be...
Vitamins01:30

Vitamins

Vitamins, derived from the Latin word for life, are essential organic substances required in small quantities for optimal growth and overall well-being. Unlike other organic nutrients, vitamins don't act as sources of energy or building materials but rather facilitate these nutrients' utilization by the body. Vitamins are predominantly coenzymes, assisting enzymes in specific chemical actions, like the oxidation of glucose for energy involving B vitamins. Most vitamins are not produced in our...
Bioavailability Study Design: Single Versus Multiple Dose Studies01:11

Bioavailability Study Design: Single Versus Multiple Dose Studies

Bioavailability studies are essential for understanding how a drug is absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted in the body. These studies assess the extent and rate at which the active pharmaceutical agent becomes available at the site of action. The design of bioavailability studies can involve single-dose or multiple-dose regimens, each with distinct advantages and limitations.Single-dose studies are the preferred approach due to their simplicity and reduced drug exposure for...
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches01:23

Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches

Biopharmaceutical studies constitute a vital field aiming to enhance drug delivery methods and refine therapeutic approaches, drawing upon diverse interdisciplinary knowledge. In research methodologies, the choice between controlled and non-controlled studies significantly influences the study's reliability and accuracy.
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast, controlled...