Investigation of factors influencing folate status in women who have had a neural tube defect‐affected infant

OBJECTIVE: To investigate folate intake and blood levels of vitamins in women with and without a history of neural tube defect (NTD)-affected infant and to explore the relation between red cell and serum folate in those women. SUBJECTS: Twenty-nine women with a history of NTD-affected infant, who had taken periconceptional vitamin supplements one year or more prior to the study and twenty-nine controls with no such history. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Dietary intake of folate was assessed by questionnaire and blood levels of folate, vitamin B12 and vitamin C were measured. RESULTS: Neither dietary intake of folate nor any of the blood vitamins measured were lower in the women with a history of NTD infant. The majority of women who had received periconceptional vitamin supplementation subsequently had adequate folate intakes and red blood cell folates greater than 160 micrograms/l. Smokers had lower plasma Vitamin C levels than nonsmokers. Multiple regression analysis suggested that the relation between red blood cell (RBC) and serum folate may differ between women with and without a history of NTD. CONCLUSIONS: Women with a history of NTD-affected infants may have different folate metabolism from those who have not.