Association between serum folate and vitamin B-12 and outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies.
BACKGROUND
Preconceptional folate and vitamin B-12 have been linked to beneficial reproductive outcomes in both natural pregnancies and those after assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to evaluate the associations of serum folate and vitamin B-12 with ART outcomes.


METHODS
This analysis included a random sample of 100 women (154 ART cycles) participating in a prospective cohort study [Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH)] at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center (2007-2013). Serum folate and vitamin B-12 were measured in blood samples collected between days 3 and 9 of treatment. Generalized estimating equations with adjustment for age, BMI, and race were used to evaluate the association of serum folate and vitamin B-12 with ART outcomes.


RESULTS
Women in the highest quartile of serum folate (>26.3 ng/mL) had 1.62 (95% CI: 0.99, 2.65) times the probability of live birth compared with women in the lowest quartile (<16.6 ng/mL). Women in the highest quartile of serum vitamin B-12 (>701 pg/mL) had 2.04 (95% CI: 1.14, 3.62) times the probability of live birth compared with women in the lowest quartile (<439 pg/mL). Suggestive evidence of an interaction was observed; women with serum folate and vitamin B-12 concentrations greater than the median had 1.92 (95% CI: 1.12, 3.29) times the probability of live birth compared with women with folate and vitamin B-12 concentrations less than or equal to the median. This translated into an adjusted difference in live birth rates of 26% (95% CI: 10%, 48%; P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Higher serum concentrations of folate and vitamin B-12 before ART treatment were associated with higher live birth rates among a population exposed to folic acid fortification. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00011713.
Departments of Nutrition, agaskins@hsph.harvard.edu.
Audrey J
AJ
Gaskins
Departments of Nutrition.
Yu-Han
YH
Chiu
Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and.
Paige L
PL
Williams
Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA;
Jennifer B
JB
Ford
Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; and.
Thomas L
TL
Toth
Epidemiology, and Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA; Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; and.
Russ
R
Hauser
Departments of Nutrition, Epidemiology, and Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Jorge E
JE
Chavarro
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D050498:Live Birth; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
D006062:Gonadotropins; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12
assisted reproduction; folate; in vitro fertilization; infertility; pregnancy; vitamin B-12