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. 2003 Oct;189(4):1155-60.
doi: 10.1067/s0002-9378(03)00592-1.

Vitamin and homocysteine status of mothers and infants and the risk of nonsyndromic orofacial clefts

Iris A L M van Rooij  1 , Dorine W Swinkels, Henk J Blom, Hans M W M Merkus, Régine P M Steegers-Theunissen
Affiliations

Vitamin and homocysteine status of mothers and infants and the risk of nonsyndromic orofacial clefts

Iris A L M van Rooij et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: This study was undertaken to investigate the involvement of maternal and infant B vitamins and homocysteine as risk factors for orofacial clefting.

Study design: Venous blood samples were taken from 96 infants with nonsyndromic orofacial clefts and 88 infants without a congenital malformation and from their mothers at approximately 14 months after the index pregnancy. Red blood cell and serum folate, serum vitamin B(12), whole blood vitamin B(6) as pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP), and plasma homocysteine concentrations were measured.

Results: A vitamin B(12) concentration of 185 pmol/L or less and a PLP concentration of 44 nmol/L or less in mothers increased the risk of having a child with an orofacial cleft (odds ratio [OR]=3.1; 95% CI: 1.3-7.4, OR=2.9; 95% CI: 1.2-7.1, respectively). Infants with orofacial clefts had a 15% lower serum folate concentration compared with controls (P=.06).

Conclusion: A low vitamin B(12) and PLP concentration in mothers increased the risk of orofacial clefts in the offspring. A possible role of the infant's folate status is suggested.

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