High maternal vitamin E intake by diet or supplements is associated with congenital heart defects in the offspring.
OBJECTIVE
To study associations between maternal dietary and supplement intake of antioxidants vitamin E, retinol and congenital heart defects (CHDs).


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, the Netherlands.


METHODS
Participants were 276 case mothers of a child with CHD and 324 control mothers with their children.


METHODS
Food frequency questionnaires covering the intake of the previous 4 weeks were filled out at 16 months after the index pregnancy. Data were compared between cases and controls using the Mann-Whitney U test. Risk estimates for the association between CHD and dietary intake of vitamin E and retinol were estimated in a multivariable logistic regression model.


METHODS
Medians (5-95th percentile) and odds ratios with 95% CI.


RESULTS
Dietary vitamin E intake was higher in case mothers than in controls, 13.3 (8.1-20.4) and 12.6 (8.5-19.8) mg/day (P= 0.05). CHD risk increased with rising dietary vitamin E intakes (P-trend = 0.01). Periconception use of vitamin E supplements in addition to a high dietary vitamin E intake above 14.9 mg/day up to nine-fold increased CHD risk. Retinol intakes were not significantly different between the groups and not associated with CHD risk.


CONCLUSIONS
High maternal vitamin E by diet and supplements is associated with an increased risk of CHD offspring.
Smedts
H P M
HP
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Division of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
de Vries
J H
JH
Rakhshandehroo
M
M
Wildhagen
M F
MF
Verkleij-Hagoort
A C
AC
Steegers
E A
EA
Steegers-Theunissen
R P M
RP
D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D016742:Preconception Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D055815:Young Adult
D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E