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Science Corner

Folic Acid Supplementation During Pregnancy May Protect Against Depression 21 Months Later

In a study involving a prospective cohort of 6,809 pregnant women, folic acid supplementation during pregnancy was found to protect against depression 21 months post-partum (while no significant effect was found on risk of depression during pregnancy and up to 8 months post-partum. The protective effect was even greater in women with the MTHFR C677T TT genotype (change in depression score from 8 months to 21 months post-partum was 0.66 in those not taking supplements versus -1.02 in those taking supplements at 18 weeks pregnancy). The authors conclude, “Low folate is unlikely to be an important risk factor for depression during pregnancy and for postpartum depression, but may be a risk factor for depression outside of pregnancy, especially among women with the MTHFR C677T TT genotype.” Click here to read the full text of the study.

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