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Analysis of Congenital Heart Defects in Mouse Embryos Using Qualitative and Quantitative Histological Methods
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Multivitamin intake and the risk of congenital heart defects: A cohort study

Mille Taagaard1, Hanne Trap Wolf2, Anja Pinborg3

  • 1Department of Obstetrics, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.

European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology
|September 20, 2022
PubMed

Insights

This study found no evidence that taking multivitamins before or during pregnancy reduces the risk of congenital heart disease (CHD) in newborns. Further research is needed to identify modifiable risk factors for CHD.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of birth defects.
  • Identifying modifiable risk factors for CHD is crucial for prevention.
  • The role of periconceptional and postconceptional multivitamin intake in CHD risk is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between multivitamin intake during the periconceptional and postconceptional periods and the risk of CHD in offspring.
  • To assess whether maternal multivitamin supplementation can be considered a preventive strategy for CHD.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study of 15,567 women from the Copenhagen Pregnancy Cohort.
  • Data collected on multivitamin intake before and during pregnancy.
  • CHD was identified using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), 10th revision.
  • Multivariate logistic regression adjusted for maternal age, chronic disease, assisted reproductive technology, smoking, and alcohol consumption.

Main Results:

  • 31.9% of women took multivitamins periconceptionally, 53.7% postconceptional, and 14.4% did not.
  • The overall prevalence of CHD was 0.7%.
  • Periconceptional multivitamin intake showed an adjusted OR of 0.64 (95% CI 0.36-1.13) for CHD.
  • Postconceptional multivitamin intake showed an adjusted OR of 0.77 (95% CI 0.47-1.30) for CHD.

Conclusions:

  • This large cohort study found no significant preventive effect of periconceptional or postconceptional multivitamin intake on the risk of congenital heart disease.
  • Maternal multivitamin supplementation does not appear to reduce the incidence of CHD in offspring based on these findings.
Abstract

Keywords:
Congenital heart defectsCongenital heart diseaseCongenital heart malformationsMultivitaminSupplementationVitamins

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