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Research findings
2013 research finding
Lower autism risk with folic acid supplements in pregnancy
Published Updated
Women who took folic acid supplements in early pregnancy almost halved the risk of having a child with autism. Beginning to take folic acid supplements later in pregnancy did not reduce the risk. This was shown in findings from the ABC Study and Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2013.

Women who took folic acid supplements in early pregnancy almost halved the risk of having a child with autism. Beginning to take folic acid supplements later in pregnancy did not reduce the risk. This was shown in findings from the ABC Study and Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2013.
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Food and other supplements did not reduce risk
Clear results that pave the way for further research
Emphasises the importance of folic acid supplements
Method
The use of folic acid supplements in early pregnancy increased sharply from 2002 to 2008 among women who participated in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. 43 per cent of mothers took folic acid supplements in 2002, while the percentage had risen to 85 per cent in 2008. However, many women began later than is desirable; only half of women who took folic acid supplements had begun before conception.
About the study
Intake of folic acid protects the developing brain and spinal cord
Facts about folic acid
- Folic acid is a B vitamin that is essential for the construction and repair of DNA molecules, the genetic material which controls all body cells.
- Folate is the naturally occurring form - found in leafy vegetables, peas, lentils, beans, eggs, yeast and liver.
- For most pregnant women, folic acid supplements are required to reach the recommended levels of folate in the blood.
- Some countries add folic acid to flour, so that the entire population receives a supplement, but this is not done in Norway.
- Studies from other countries show that many pregnant women consume less dietary folate than is necessary to prevent neural tube defects.
Reference
- Surén P, Roth C, Bresnahan M, et al. Association between maternal use of folic acid supplements and risk of autism in children. JAMA2013, 309 (6): 570-577.