title: The Effect of High Dose Folic Acid throughout Pregnancy on Homocysteine (Hcy) Concentration and Pre-Eclampsia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
abstract: Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-related multi-systemic hypertensive disorder and affects at least 5% of pregnancies. This randomized clinical trial aimed at assessing the effect of low doses and high doses of folic acid on homocysteine (Hcy) levels, blood pressure, urea, creatinine and neonatal outcome. A randomized clinical trial was done at Alzahra Teaching Hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences from April 2008 to March 2013. Four-hundred and sixty nulliparous pregnant women were randomly assigned into two groups. Group 1 (n = 230) received 0.5 mg of folic acid and group 2 (n = 230) received 5 mg of folic acid per daily. They were followed until delivery. Blood pressure and laboratory changes, including plasma Hcy levels, were measured and compared between the groups. Homocysteine concentrations were significantly higher at the time of delivery in group 1 (13.17±3.89 μmol/l) than in group 2 (10.31±3.54, μmol/l) (p<0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.84 and 0.15, respectively). Birth weight was significantly higher in group 2 (p = 0.031) and early abortion was significantly higher in group 1 than group 2 (p = 0.001). This study has provided evidence that a high dosage of folic acid supplements throughout pregnancy reduces Hcy concentrations at the time of delivery.
  
  
  
  Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT201402175283N9.
authors.affiliation: Drug Applied Research Center (DARC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Postal address, 5138665793, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Manizheh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sayyah-Melli
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghorbanihaghjo
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahasti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryamalsadat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kazemi-Shishvan
authors.affiliation: Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghojazadeh
authors.affiliation: Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Sanam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bidadi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid