Periconceptional multivitamin use and infant birth weight disparities.
OBJECTIVE
In the United States, African American women deliver preterm and low birth weight infants two to three times more frequently than their white counterparts. Our objective was to determine whether maternal periconceptional multivitamin (MVI) use is associated with this disparity.


METHODS
As a secondary analysis of previously collected data from mothers of non-malformed infants from the Slone Epidemiology Center Birth Defects Study, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of 2331 non-Hispanic white and 133 non-Hispanic black mother/infant pairs from 1998 through 2007. To estimate the effect of MVI use on birth outcomes, linear regression models were used.


RESULTS
In white subjects, MVI use was not associated with birth weight, gestational age, or weight-for-gestational-age. However, in black subjects, MVI use was associated with a 536-gram increased birth weight (p=0.001). Black MVI users also had longer gestations (although not statistically significant). When birth weights were adjusted for gestational age using z scores, MVI use was associated with increased fetal growth in black infants (+0.86 z score units, 95% confidence interval: 0.35-1.36).


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings suggest MVI use may improve fetal growth and possibly gestational age in the offspring of African American women.
Department of Neonatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard University, 330 Brookline Ave., Boston, MA 02215, USA. heburris@bidmc.harvard.edu
Heather H
HH
Burris
Allen A
AA
Mitchell
Martha M
MM
Werler
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
D014815:Vitamins