Rubin, Gal;
Stewart, Catherine;
McGowan, Laura;
Woodside, Jayne V;
Barrett, Geraldine;
Godfrey, Keith M;
Hall, Jennifer;
(2023)
Maternal folic acid supplementation and the risk of ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) in infants; a systematic review.
PLoS One
, 18
(11)
, Article e0294042. 10.1371/journal.pone.0294042.
Preview |
Text
journal.pone.0294042.pdf - Published Version Download (639kB) | Preview |
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Maternal folic acid supplementation is protective against the development of neural tube defects (NTDs) in babies. However, recent public-facing communications have raised concerns about a causal relationship between folic acid supplementation, particularly after the first trimester, and ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) in infants. Non-evidence-based communications are potentially harmful because they could adversely affect adherence to folic acid supplementation, increasing NTD occurrence. This study aimed to review evidence on the relationships between maternal folic acid supplementation during preconception and/or pregnancy and the risk of ankyloglossia in infants. METHODS: We searched the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Scopus. We searched for observational, and interventional studies, and systematic reviews investigating the effect of maternal folic acid supplementation during preconception or pregnancy on the occurrence of ankyloglossia in offspring. The search was registered on PROSPERO on 01/12/2022, ID: CRD42022375862. RESULTS: The database searches yielded 93 articles. After removing duplicates and screening titles and abstracts, 26 remained. One article was judged relevant for inclusion in analyses; a case-control study that directly mentions the relationship between folic acid supplementation and ankyloglossia. This study reported that regular intake of folic acid supplements was higher in women with infants with ankyloglossia. However, this study has limitations regarding design, selection bias, and confounding, calling the findings into question. CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient evidence exists for a relationship between folic acid supplementation and ankyloglossia. Currently, the benefits of folic acid supplementation far outweigh the risks. This must be clearly communicated to patients by their clinicians during preconception and antenatal care.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Maternal folic acid supplementation and the risk of ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) in infants; a systematic review |
| Location: | United States |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0294042 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294042 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright: © 2023 Rubin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL EGA Institute for Womens Health UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL EGA Institute for Womens Health > Reproductive Health |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10180727 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
