title: Folic acid supplementation in pregnancy and implications in health and disease.
abstract: Maternal exposure to dietary factors during pregnancy can influence embryonic development and may modulate the phenotype of offspring through epigenetic programming. Folate is critical for nucleotide synthesis, and preconceptional intake of dietary folic acid (FA) is credited with reduced incidences of neural tube defects in infants. While fortification of grains with FA resulted in a positive public-health outcome, concern has been raised for the need for further investigation of unintended consequences and potential health hazards arising from excessive FA intakes, especially following reports that FA may exert epigenetic effects. The objective of this article is to discuss the role of FA in human health and to review the benefits, concerns and epigenetic effects of maternal FA on the basis of recent findings that are important to design future studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island 10314, NY, USA. subitbarua@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Subit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barua
authors.forename: Salomon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuizon
authors.forename: Mohammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Junaid
mesh_terms: D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000196:embryology*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000196:embryology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid