Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 3: A new study has highlighted the possible role of both parents’ vitamin B12 levels around the time of conception in influencing the risk of birth defects in children.

Researchers from Fudan University in China analysed data from more than 3,000 couples whose blood samples were collected within four months before conception. They also examined data from nearly 18,000 women tested during early pregnancy.

The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that higher vitamin B12 levels in both mothers and fathers were associated with a lower prevalence of birth defects, including congenital heart defects.

Researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University studied 3,032 couples, measuring vitamin B12 and red blood cell folate levels before conception. They also analysed samples from 17,765 women tested at four months of pregnancy or earlier.

The researchers found that the prevalence of birth defects declined as maternal vitamin B12 levels increased. A similar association was observed among fathers, although the relationship became weaker once vitamin B12 levels reached moderately high concentrations.

Vitamin B12, found naturally in foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products, plays an important role in DNA synthesis, nerve function and the production of red blood cells.

Experts have noted that many birth defects develop during the earliest weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman is aware that she is pregnant. The findings therefore underline the potential importance of adequate nutrition for both partners before conception.

The study also found that higher levels of maternal red blood cell folate after conception were associated with a lower predicted prevalence of birth defects, reinforcing the importance of sufficient B12 and folate around conception and during early pregnancy.

The findings broaden the focus beyond the long-standing recommendation for women to consume adequate folic acid before and during pregnancy. Researchers said waiting until pregnancy is confirmed to address nutritional needs may be too late for some developmental processes.

According to Weili Yan, an epidemiologist at the Children’s Hospital of Fudan University in Shanghai, fathers may contribute more than genetic material, with nutrition potentially influencing epigenetic factors involved in early development.

The researchers noted that vitamin B12 and folate are involved in one-carbon metabolism, a biological process important for DNA synthesis and regulation.

The study adds to growing evidence that preconception health may involve both partners and suggests that nutritional status before pregnancy could be an important area for further research into preventing birth defects.