Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 17, 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

Folic acid supplements and risk of facial clefts: national population based case-control study

Allen J Wilcox1, Rolv Terje Lie, Kari Solvoll

  • 1Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, Durham, NC 27709, USA. wilcox@niehs.nih.gov

BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.)
|January 30, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Maternal folic acid supplements (400 mcg/day) during early pregnancy significantly reduced the risk of isolated cleft lip. Dietary folates and multivitamins may offer additional benefits for preventing facial clefts.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive health
  • Nutritional science
  • Birth defect prevention

Background:

  • Facial clefts are common birth defects with multifactorial causes.
  • Maternal nutrition during pregnancy is crucial for fetal development.
  • The role of specific nutrients like folic acid in preventing clefts requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between folic acid supplements, dietary folates, multivitamins, and the prevention of facial clefts.
  • To determine the efficacy of folic acid supplementation in reducing the incidence of isolated cleft lip and cleft palate.

Main Methods:

  • A national population-based case-control study was conducted in Norway.
  • Infants born between 1996 and 2001 were analyzed, including 377 with cleft lip (with or without cleft palate), 196 with cleft palate alone, and 763 controls.
  • Maternal intake of folic acid supplements, dietary folates, and multivitamins was assessed for its association with facial clefts.

Main Results:

  • Maternal folic acid supplementation (≥400 mcg/day) in early pregnancy was linked to a reduced risk of isolated cleft lip (OR 0.61).
  • Diets rich in folate-containing foods showed a modest risk reduction for cleft lip (OR 0.75).
  • The lowest risk of cleft lip was observed in women who combined folic acid supplements, multivitamins, and folate-rich diets (OR 0.36). Folic acid did not protect against cleft palate alone (OR 1.07).

Conclusions:

  • Folic acid supplementation during early pregnancy appears to decrease the risk of isolated cleft lip by approximately one-third.
  • Combined intake of folic acid supplements, multivitamins, and folate-rich diets may offer synergistic protective effects.
  • Dietary folate intake and other vitamins may contribute to the prevention of facial clefts, particularly cleft lip.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Morphometric Analyses of Shape: The Analysis Software Toolbox for Craniofacial Shape Quantification in Zebrafish09:03

Morphometric Analyses of Shape: The Analysis Software Toolbox for Craniofacial Shape Quantification in Zebrafish

Published on: February 27, 2026

Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
Cancer Prevention02:59

Cancer Prevention

Several factors can increase the risk of cancer in an individual. About 50% of cancer cases can be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, eating healthy, and following a modest cancer prevention diet. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that populations with vegetable and fruit-rich diets have reduced the incidence of cancer. On the other hand, populations who have a diet rich in animal fat, red meat, junk food, or high calories are predisposed to cancer.
Some...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...
Acne Infection01:27

Acne Infection

Acne is a multifactorial skin condition primarily affecting adolescents and young adults, with a global prevalence estimated to exceed 75% in this demographic. The condition is characterized by the formation of comedones (blackheads and whiteheads), papules, pustules, nodules, and, in severe cases, cysts, particularly in areas rich in sebaceous glands such as the face, neck, chest, and back. The pathogenesis involves increased sebum production, follicular hyperkeratinization, colonization by...