Folate, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine Levels in Women With Neural Tube Defect-Affected Pregnancy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
BackgroundNeural tube defects (NTDs) are prevalent congenital defects associated with pre-pregnancy diet with low levels of maternal folate. They are linked to severe morbidity, disability, and mortality, as well as psychological and economic burdens.ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to determine...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.873900/full |
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| author | Winner Kucha Daniel Seifu Abenezer Tirsit Mahlet Yigeremu Markos Abebe Dawit Hailu Dareskedar Tsehay Solomon Genet |
| author_facet | Winner Kucha Daniel Seifu Abenezer Tirsit Mahlet Yigeremu Markos Abebe Dawit Hailu Dareskedar Tsehay Solomon Genet |
| author_sort | Winner Kucha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundNeural tube defects (NTDs) are prevalent congenital defects associated with pre-pregnancy diet with low levels of maternal folate. They are linked to severe morbidity, disability, and mortality, as well as psychological and economic burdens.ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to determine the levels of folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine in the blood of women who had a pregnancy impacted by NTDs.Subjects and MethodsA hospital-based case–control study was undertaken between September 2019 and August 2020. The study comprised a total of 100 cases and 167 controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine in the serum.ResultsOnly 39% of the cases and 54.5% of control mothers reported periconceptional use of folic acid/multivitamin, which indicated a statistically significant difference (p = 0.014). Logistic regression indicated that periconceptional use of folic acid/multivitamin was associated with NTDs (p = 0.015, OR = 1.873, 95% CI: 1.131–3.101). We found that 57% of the cases and 33.5% of controls, as well as 43% of cases and 20.4% of controls had serum folate and vitamin B12 levels below the cut-off value, respectively. Twenty-seven percent of the cases and 6.6% of controls had hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy). The median concentrations of folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine in cases and controls were 4.78 and 8.86 ng/ml; 266.23 and 455 pg/ml; 13.43 and 9.7 μmol/l, respectively. The median concentration of folate (p < 0.001) and vitamin B12 (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the cases than controls, while the homocysteine concentration (p < 0.001) was significantly lower in the controls than cases. Folate [OR (95% CI) = 1.652 (1.226–2.225; p = 0.001)], vitamin B12 [OR (95% CI) = 1.890 (1.393–2.565; p < 0.001], and homocysteine [OR (95% CI) = 0.191 (0.09–0.405; p < 0.001)] levels were associated with NTDs.ConclusionFolate and vitamin B12 are deficient in both cases and control mothers. The lower levels of folate and vitamin B12 with an elevated homocysteine level in NTD-affected pregnancy may be an indication that these biochemical variables were risk factors for NTDs. Folate/multivitamin supplementation and/or food fortification should be promoted. |
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| spelling | doaj.art-4dde431f601f4084bae700957f45e42c2022-12-21T23:14:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2022-04-01910.3389/fnut.2022.873900873900Folate, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine Levels in Women With Neural Tube Defect-Affected Pregnancy in Addis Ababa, EthiopiaWinner Kucha0Daniel Seifu1Abenezer Tirsit2Mahlet Yigeremu3Markos Abebe4Dawit Hailu5Dareskedar Tsehay6Solomon Genet7Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaBiochemistry Division of Basic Sciences, University of Global Health Equity, Kigali, RwandaNeurosurgery Unit, School of Medicine, College of Health Science, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaArmauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaArmauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaArmauer Hansen Research Institute, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaDepartment of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaBackgroundNeural tube defects (NTDs) are prevalent congenital defects associated with pre-pregnancy diet with low levels of maternal folate. They are linked to severe morbidity, disability, and mortality, as well as psychological and economic burdens.ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to determine the levels of folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine in the blood of women who had a pregnancy impacted by NTDs.Subjects and MethodsA hospital-based case–control study was undertaken between September 2019 and August 2020. The study comprised a total of 100 cases and 167 controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine in the serum.ResultsOnly 39% of the cases and 54.5% of control mothers reported periconceptional use of folic acid/multivitamin, which indicated a statistically significant difference (p = 0.014). Logistic regression indicated that periconceptional use of folic acid/multivitamin was associated with NTDs (p = 0.015, OR = 1.873, 95% CI: 1.131–3.101). We found that 57% of the cases and 33.5% of controls, as well as 43% of cases and 20.4% of controls had serum folate and vitamin B12 levels below the cut-off value, respectively. Twenty-seven percent of the cases and 6.6% of controls had hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy). The median concentrations of folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine in cases and controls were 4.78 and 8.86 ng/ml; 266.23 and 455 pg/ml; 13.43 and 9.7 μmol/l, respectively. The median concentration of folate (p < 0.001) and vitamin B12 (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the cases than controls, while the homocysteine concentration (p < 0.001) was significantly lower in the controls than cases. Folate [OR (95% CI) = 1.652 (1.226–2.225; p = 0.001)], vitamin B12 [OR (95% CI) = 1.890 (1.393–2.565; p < 0.001], and homocysteine [OR (95% CI) = 0.191 (0.09–0.405; p < 0.001)] levels were associated with NTDs.ConclusionFolate and vitamin B12 are deficient in both cases and control mothers. The lower levels of folate and vitamin B12 with an elevated homocysteine level in NTD-affected pregnancy may be an indication that these biochemical variables were risk factors for NTDs. Folate/multivitamin supplementation and/or food fortification should be promoted.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.873900/fullNTDsfolatevitamin B12homocysteineELISA |
| spellingShingle | Winner Kucha Daniel Seifu Abenezer Tirsit Mahlet Yigeremu Markos Abebe Dawit Hailu Dareskedar Tsehay Solomon Genet Folate, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine Levels in Women With Neural Tube Defect-Affected Pregnancy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Frontiers in Nutrition NTDs folate vitamin B12 homocysteine ELISA |
| title | Folate, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine Levels in Women With Neural Tube Defect-Affected Pregnancy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_full | Folate, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine Levels in Women With Neural Tube Defect-Affected Pregnancy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Folate, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine Levels in Women With Neural Tube Defect-Affected Pregnancy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Folate, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine Levels in Women With Neural Tube Defect-Affected Pregnancy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_short | Folate, Vitamin B12, and Homocysteine Levels in Women With Neural Tube Defect-Affected Pregnancy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_sort | folate vitamin b12 and homocysteine levels in women with neural tube defect affected pregnancy in addis ababa ethiopia |
| topic | NTDs folate vitamin B12 homocysteine ELISA |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.873900/full |
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