title: The influence of folic acid supplement on the outcome of pregnancies in the county of Funen in Denmark. Part I.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether a supplement of folic acid given preconceptionally or early in pregnancy had any influence on, birth weight, incidence of preterm labour, low birth weight and small for gestational age. Furthermore, the aim was to elucidate, whether the outcome differed following the administration of two different dosages of folic acid, namely 2.5 and 1.0 mg.
  
  
  METHODS
  All women in the childbearing age living on the island of Funen, Denmark (population 500,000) were offered a supplement of folic acid over a period of 3 years and 3 months. 14,021 women, who gave birth to 13,860 single-born and 325 multiborn children, were registered. A total of 8184 women took part in the double-blind randomized trial: 2310 had a supplement of folic acid without being randomized and 2721 women received no folic acid supplement. No information regarding the use of folic acid was available in 806 pregnancies. Abortions (512) were excluded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A supplement 1.0 mg folic acid had the same effect as 2.5 mg. The effects of supplementing the diet with folic acid given preconceptionally or in the first half of pregnancy in an affluent Northern country were a slight increase of birth weight and a decrease in the incidence of preterm labour, infants with low birth weight and small for gestational age. The greatest effect was seen in the groups receiving folic acid preconceptionally.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rolschau
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kristoffersen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grinsted
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schaumburg
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Foged
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D003718:Denmark; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid