Maternal plasma folate, vitamin B12 levels and multivitamin supplementation during pregnancy and risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Boston Birth Cohort

Abstract

BackgroundThe role of preconception/prenatal nutrition in the development of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is under-studied. Maternal adequate folate intake is important in protecting against neural tube defects in offspring, but uncertainty remains on its role in ASD. ObjectiveTo understand the relationship between maternal multivitamin supplementation during pregnancy and maternal plasma biomarkers of folate and vitamin B12 measured 24–72 hours after delivery and risk of later Autism Spectrum Disorder in children. MethodsData are from the Boston Birth Cohort, an ongoing longitudinal prospective birth cohort study that recruited low-income urban, primarily minority mother-offspring pairs (n=1,391) at the Boston Medical Center and followed them from birth through childhood between 1998–2013. Based on electronic medical records, children were diagnosed as having ASD (n=107) or categorized as ‘typical’ (n=1284). Prenatal multivitamin supplement intake data and maternal blood samples were collected 24–72 ho...