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Dose and Timing of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Maternal Nutritional Supplements: Developmental Effects on

Claire D Coles1,2, Julie A Kable3, Carl L Keen4

  • 1Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. ccoles@emory.edu.

Maternal and Child Health Journal
|July 13, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal alcohol exposure can harm fetal development. However, multivitamin/mineral and choline supplementation during pregnancy may offer protective benefits against these negative effects on infant development.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) disproportionately affect disadvantaged populations.
  • Environmental factors, such as poor nutrition, can exacerbate developmental issues caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.
  • Micronutrients may play a role in mitigating the effects of alcohol on fetal development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of micronutrient supplementation, including choline, on reducing the adverse effects of prenatal alcohol exposure.
  • To examine the relationship between the timing and dosage of alcohol consumption and the effectiveness of nutritional supplementation.
  • To assess developmental outcomes in infants exposed to alcohol prenatally.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial involving 367 children was conducted at two sites in Western Ukraine.
  • Women were assigned to receive no supplements, multivitamins/minerals (MVM), or MVM plus choline.
  • Infants were assessed at 6 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, measuring Mental Development Index (MDI), Psychomotor Development Index (PDI), and behavior.

Main Results:

  • Higher doses of alcohol consumed peri-conception were significantly associated with lower MDI scores (p < .001).
  • Males were more negatively impacted by peri-conceptual alcohol exposure than females (p < .002).
  • Micronutrient supplementation demonstrated a protective effect, leading to better developmental outcomes (p < .005).

Conclusions:

  • Multivitamin/mineral supplementation can mitigate the negative effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on specific infant developmental outcomes.
  • Nutritional interventions may be a viable strategy to support child development in populations at risk for FASDs.
Abstract

Keywords:
CholineFetal alcohol spectrum disordersInfant developmentMultivitamin supplementPrenatal alcohol exposure

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