Observational studyPublic health nutrition2022
An evaluation of adherence to folic acid supplementation in pregnant women during early gestation for the prevention of neural tube defects.
Observational study in Public health nutrition, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Folic acid supplementation in European women of reproductive age and during pregnancy with excessive weight: a systematic review.Reproductive health · 2025Pooled it
- Influence of gestational history on neural tube defects and Eisenmenger syndrome: associations with intellectual disability and visual impairment in children and adults - a systematic review.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2025Pooled it
- Awareness and Use of Folic Acid Among Pregnant Women in Western Ukraine: A Pilot Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Maternal red blood cell folate and periconceptional folic acid supplementation are associated with neonatal brain maturation: a retrospective EEG-MRI study with term-equivalent imaging.Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery · 2026Article
- Diet in Pregnancy: A Review of Current Challenges and Recommendations. A British Nutrition Foundation Briefing Paper.Nutrition bulletin · 2025Review
- Periconceptional Folic Acid Use and Its Effects on Neural Tube Defects - Five Counties, Shanxi Province, China, 2010-2016.China CDC weekly · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveNeural tube defects (NTD) are potentially preventable by periconceptual folic acid supplementation. Women with obesity are at higher risk of NTD, therefore, are recommended a higher dose of 5 mg folic acid to mitigate this risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate maternal practice of folic acid supplementation amongst the antenatal population in relation to maternal obesity status.
designProspective observational study.
settingWomen ≤18 weeks' gestation at their first antenatal appointment attending University Maternity Hospital Limerick (Ireland) were recruited. Maternal height and weight were measured. Obesity was defined at a threshold of ≥30·0 kg/m
participantsA total of 328 women participated over a duration of 6 weeks.
resultsMean gestational age was 12·4 ± 1·4 weeks and mean BMI 26·7 kg/m
conclusionFolic acid supplementation practices within this cohort were suboptimal to prevent their risk of NTD. This study showed inadequate compliance of folic acid supplementation, and inadequate dosage for women with obesity. Increased patient education and awareness are needed within the antenatal period of pregnancy to bring folic acid supplementation practices in line with best practice guidelines.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.