Folate and women's reproductive health: a modern view on the problem
AbstractFolate deficiency among women of reproductive age is widespread worldwide, including in economically developed countries. Demands for folate increase during pregnancy because it is also required for growth and development of the fetus. Folate deficiency is associated with congenital structural anomalies in newborns (neural tube defect, congenital heart defects, etc.), a number of obstetric complications (premature birth), as well as various maternal complications (anemia, peripheric neuropathy). Prevention of folic acid deficiency should be carried out not only during pregnancy, but also at the planning stage. Maintaining adequate folate levels can also be beneficial for nonpregnant women's health. Usage of drugs and dietary supplements with active form of folate - 5-methyltetrahydrofolate is more preferable, than administration of synthetic folic acid, since its metabolism can be disrupted in case of genetic polymorphisms, in particular Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphisms.
Keywords:vitamin B9, folic acid, 5-methyltetra-hydrofolate, pregnancy, neural tube defects, women's reproductive health
Funding. The article was prepared with the support of "Bayer".
Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.
For citation: Demidova M.A., Malygin A.S. Folate and women's reproductive health: a modern view on the problem Akusherstvo i ginekologiya: novosti, mneniya, obuchenie [Obstetrics and Gynecology: News, Opinions, Training]. 2021; 9 (3): 29-34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33029/2303-9698-2021-9-3-29-34 (in Russian)
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