Folic acid in pregnancy: minus 32% on brain cancer risk in childhood

A new study finds that taking folic acid before and during gestation could reduce the risk of developing a brain tumor in childhood by up to 32 percent. The research leading to the discovery was published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention by a group of Australian researchers, led by Elizabeth Milne of the Telethon Institute for Child Health Reasearch at the University of Western Australia. According to Milne, although this is a simple observational study, the association between reduced risk of brain tumors in children and folic acid intake during gestation is biologically plausible.

Why is there a need for folic acid in pregnancy?

Recommendations on folic acid intake before and during the early stages of pregnancy are related to the need to minimize the risk of the fetus developing what is known as spina bifida. The latter is a serious malformation due to a defect in the development of the neural tube, the structure from which the baby's nervous system also originates. A mother-to-be who, prior to gestation, gets her fill of folic acid also reduces the likelihood of developing many other neural tube defects that depend on the absence of this valuable nutrient.

Brain tumors in childhood, a good reason to take more folic acid

Australian study reveals one more reason why a woman should take folic acid when deciding to have a baby. Indeed, analysis of mothers' use of supplements, detected through specific questionnaires, revealed that multivitamins and folic acid supplements are associated with a 32 percent reduction in the risk of their children developing a brain tumor in childhood. According to the authors, this study, which involved a total of 1154 children (including 327 with a brain tumor), is the largest ever conducted to date and suggests that folic acid supplements might actually be useful in preventing pediatric brain tumors. However, researchers cannot yet explain the exact mechanisms behind this effect, which could also vary depending on the type of tumor being considered.

Folic acid: when to take it

Based on these data, it is clear that arriving at conception with adequate folic acid supplies is critical to ensure the proper development and health of the child. For this reason, it is the Ministry of Health itself that recommends the intake of at least 0.4 mg per day of folic acid, in the period before gestation and in the first three months after conception. Unfortunately, however, most pregnancies are unplanned and, therefore, a woman may find herself pregnant without having had time to plan to take folic acid. For this reason, the best solution is to take folic acid regularly during the childbearing years. The important thing is not to exceed 1 mg per day, because although it is not toxic, excessive doses can mask possible vitamin B12 deficiencies, which in turn are very dangerous. An alternative is to take activated folic acid, i.e., methylfolate, which does not mask any vitamin B12 deficiencies and is much better absorbed than folic acid. There are products on the market, including VitaDHA Materna, that contain methylfolate instead of the folic acid found in most supplements. Only in cases where the woman has already had a child with neural tube defects do the guidelines call for a daily intake of 4 mg of folic acid. 

Source Milne E, Greenop KR, Bower CI, Miller M, van Bockxmeer FM, Scott RJ, de Klerk NH, Ashton LJ, Gottardo NG, Armstrong BK, "Maternal use of Folic Acid and Other Supplements and Risk of Childhood Brain Tumors," Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2012 Aug 31.