{"title":"Periconceptional folic acid supplementation for women with epilepsy: A systematic review of the literature","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.yebeh.2024.110064","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to investigate whether folic acid supplementation at normal or high doses could reduce major congenital malformations and improve neurodevelopment in the offspring of women with epilepsy (WWE).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and <span><span>ClinicalTrials.gov</span><svg><path></path></svg></span> databases were searched for observational studies reporting pregnancy outcomes and information about folic acid supplementation in WWE, with a cut-off date of December 5, 2023. Data extraction and synthesis were performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A random-effects <em>meta</em>-analysis was conducted to obtain pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), to estimate the effect of periconceptional folic acid supplementation on pregnancy outcomes in WWE. Sensitivity analyses including only studies with WWE who took anti-seizure medications during pregnancy or studies with a sample size greater than 100 were further performed. This study was registered in PROSPEROID (no. CRD42019141820).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The database search yielded 23 eligible articles. Unexpectedly, the results of subsequent <em>meta</em>-analysis showed that the risk of major congenital malformations was relatively higher in those with periconceptional folic acid supplementation (17463 pregnancies, OR, 1.34; 95 %CI, 1.12–1.6), and was similar between those with and without folic acid supplementation ≧ 4 mg (3822 pregnancies, OR, 0.9; 95 %CI, 0.65–1.24). Results showed that periconceptional folic acid supplementation may be beneficial for neurodevelopment but the evidence was limited.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This systematic review showed no evidence of a beneficial effect of folic acid supplementation in reducing the risk of major congenital malformations, while the relative risk was slightly higher in those receiving periconceptional folic acid supplementation. Nevertheless, folic acid supplementation may improve neurobehavioral outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11847,"journal":{"name":"Epilepsy & Behavior","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Epilepsy & Behavior","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1525505024004463","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective
This study aimed to investigate whether folic acid supplementation at normal or high doses could reduce major congenital malformations and improve neurodevelopment in the offspring of women with epilepsy (WWE).
Methods
The MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched for observational studies reporting pregnancy outcomes and information about folic acid supplementation in WWE, with a cut-off date of December 5, 2023. Data extraction and synthesis were performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to obtain pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), to estimate the effect of periconceptional folic acid supplementation on pregnancy outcomes in WWE. Sensitivity analyses including only studies with WWE who took anti-seizure medications during pregnancy or studies with a sample size greater than 100 were further performed. This study was registered in PROSPEROID (no. CRD42019141820).
Results
The database search yielded 23 eligible articles. Unexpectedly, the results of subsequent meta-analysis showed that the risk of major congenital malformations was relatively higher in those with periconceptional folic acid supplementation (17463 pregnancies, OR, 1.34; 95 %CI, 1.12–1.6), and was similar between those with and without folic acid supplementation ≧ 4 mg (3822 pregnancies, OR, 0.9; 95 %CI, 0.65–1.24). Results showed that periconceptional folic acid supplementation may be beneficial for neurodevelopment but the evidence was limited.
Conclusions
This systematic review showed no evidence of a beneficial effect of folic acid supplementation in reducing the risk of major congenital malformations, while the relative risk was slightly higher in those receiving periconceptional folic acid supplementation. Nevertheless, folic acid supplementation may improve neurobehavioral outcomes.
期刊介绍:
Epilepsy & Behavior is the fastest-growing international journal uniquely devoted to the rapid dissemination of the most current information available on the behavioral aspects of seizures and epilepsy.
Epilepsy & Behavior presents original peer-reviewed articles based on laboratory and clinical research. Topics are drawn from a variety of fields, including clinical neurology, neurosurgery, neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, and neuroimaging.
From September 2012 Epilepsy & Behavior stopped accepting Case Reports for publication in the journal. From this date authors who submit to Epilepsy & Behavior will be offered a transfer or asked to resubmit their Case Reports to its new sister journal, Epilepsy & Behavior Case Reports.