Abstract
It is still unclear to which extent methyl-group intake during pregnancy can affect maternal global DNA (hydroxyl)methylation. Pregnancy methylation profiling and its link with methyl-group intake in a healthy population could enhance our understanding of the development of pregnancy related disorders. One hundred forty-eight women were enrolled in the MANOE (MAternal Nutrition and Offspring’s Epigenome) study. Thiry-four women were enrolled before pregnancy and 116 during the first trimester of pregnancy. Global DNA (hydroxy)methylation in blood using LC-MS/MS and dietary methyl-group intake (methionine, folate, betaine, and choline) using a food-frequency questionnaire were estimated pre-pregnancy, during each trimester, and at delivery. Global DNA (hydroxy)methylation levels were highest pre-pregnancy and at weeks 18–22 of pregnancy. We observed a positive relation between folic acid and global DNA methylation (p = 0.04) and hydroxymethylation (p = 0.04). A high intake of methionine pre-pregnancy and in the first trimester showed lower (hydroxy)methylation percentage in weeks 11–13 and weeks 18–22, respectively. Choline and betaine intake in the first weeks was negatively associated with hydroxymethylation. Women with a high intake of these three methyl groups in the second and third trimester showed higher hyrdoxymethylation/methylation levels in the third trimester. To conclude, a time trend in DNA (hydroxy)methylation was found and women with higher methyl-group intake showed higher methylation in the third trimester, and not in earlier phases of pregnancy.
Highlights
A woman’s diet before and during pregnancy is important for the pregnancy’s outcome
We studied participants enrolled in the MANOE (MAternal Nutrition and Offspring’s Epigenome) study, an ongoing prospective, observational cohort study initiated in April 2012
Mothers had a mean age of 30.63 years (SD 3.52), a mean BMI of 22.75 kg/m2 (SD 3.3), a mean gestation age of 39.41 weeks (SD 1.19), 48% were pregnant with their first child, and 52% had a university degree. 77.7% of the women took a folic acid supplement before conception and 98% during the first trimester of pregnancy. 4.73% of the women smoked before and in the first trimester of pregnancy, and some of these women (2.7%) continued smoking in the second and third trimester
Summary
A woman’s diet before and during pregnancy is important for the pregnancy’s outcome. It is a time period in which nutritional needs are higher because of the developing and growing fetus [1]. Time period in which nutritional needs are higher because of the developing and growing fetus [1]. There is a higher need for methyl-group donors during pregnancy, like folate, betaine, For instance, there is a higher need for methyl‐group donors during pregnancy, like folate, betaine, choline, and methionine [2]. Choline, and methionine [2]. Folate is required for cell division because of its role in DNA synthesis
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