Folic acid supplementation and interpregnancy interval

Area of Science:

• Reproductive health
• Maternal health
• Nutritional science

Background:

• Maternal folic acid supplementation between pregnancies is crucial for preventing folate deficiency, especially with short interpregnancy intervals.
• Preconception folic acid use is vital for reducing risks associated with folate status and interpregnancy intervals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of preconception folic acid use among Norwegian women based on the interpregnancy interval.
• To understand how interpregnancy intervals influence folic acid supplementation adherence before subsequent pregnancies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 48,855 pregnancy pairs from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (1999-2009).
• Interpregnancy interval defined as time from prior birth to subsequent conception.
• Preconception folic acid use defined as supplement intake within 4 weeks before the second pregnancy.

Main Results:

• Overall preconception folic acid use was 31%.
• Women with interpregnancy intervals ≤12 or ≥49 months showed up to 35% lower folic acid use compared to the 13-24 month reference group, particularly after term births.
• Lower use in short intervals was linked to unplanned pregnancies and lower educational attainment.
• For preterm births, folic acid use decreased as interpregnancy spacing increased.

Conclusions:

• Lower preconception folic acid use observed in both short and long interpregnancy intervals.
• Identifies at-risk populations for folate deficiency and potential adverse pregnancy outcomes.
• Suggests targeted interventions to improve folic acid supplementation across diverse interpregnancy spacing.