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Updated: Jul 16, 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

Prenatal multivitamin supplementation and rates of pediatric cancers: a meta-analysis

Y I Goh1, E Bollano, T R Einarson

  • 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toronto, and The Motherisk Program, Division of Clinical Pharmacology/Toxicology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
|February 23, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Maternal prenatal multivitamin intake appears to reduce the risk of pediatric brain tumors, neuroblastoma, and leukemia. Further research is needed to identify the specific beneficial components within these supplements.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Oncology
  • Maternal Health
  • Nutritional Epidemiology

Background:

  • Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy is known to prevent congenital malformations.
  • Emerging evidence suggests folic acid may protect against certain pediatric cancers.
  • The impact of comprehensive prenatal multivitamins on pediatric cancer risk remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze the association between prenatal multivitamin use and pediatric cancer incidence.
  • To evaluate the potential protective role of maternal multivitamin supplementation against specific childhood cancers.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies from 1960 to July 2005.
  • Searched multiple databases including Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, Toxline, Healthstar, and Cochrane.
  • Utilized a random effects model to compare cancer rates in supplemented versus unsupplemented pregnant women.

Main Results:

  • Seven studies met inclusion criteria from an initial search of 61 articles.
  • Prenatal multivitamin use was associated with a reduced risk of leukemia (OR=0.61, 95% CI=0.50-0.74).
  • Significant protective effects were also observed for pediatric brain tumors (OR=0.73, 95% CI=0.60-0.88) and neuroblastoma (OR=0.53, 95% CI=0.42-0.68).

Conclusions:

  • Maternal intake of prenatal multivitamins is linked to a decreased risk of pediatric brain tumors, neuroblastoma, and leukemia.
  • The specific components within multivitamins responsible for this protective effect have not yet been identified.

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