Examining associations of folic acid supplements administered to mothers during pre-conceptional and prenatal periods with autism spectrum disorders in their offspring: insights from a multi-center study in China

• DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1321046
• Publication Date: 2024-01-17T04:28:13Z
• Authors: Yan Jiang; Cuihua Guo; Min Kuang; Lizi Lin; Guifeng Xu; Ning Pan; Xuchu Weng; Jin Jing; Lei Shi; Quanying Yi; Xin Wang
• Keywords: Folic acid supplementation

To investigate the relationship between maternal folic acid (FA) supplementation during pre-conceptional and prenatal periods subsequent risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. A total 6,049 toddlers aged 16-30 months were recruited from August 2016 to March 2017 for this cross-sectional study conducted China. The parents enrolled provided information on supplemental FA, socio-demographic information, related covariates. Standard diagnostic procedures implemented identify with ASD. Among children included study, consisting 3,364 boys an average age 22.7 ± 4.1 months, a 71 (1.2%) diagnosed Mothers who did not consume FA supplements period found have significantly increased having offspring ASD, comparison those exposed (odds ratio [OR] = 2.47). However, we find similar association period. Compared mothers consistently used pre-conception period, never statistically associated higher ASD their (OR 2.88). This indicated that providing continuous may decrease is considered be most crucial time intervention.