Maternal folic acid supplementation and the risk of ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) in infants; a systematic review.

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.

Addressing reproductive health needs across the life course: an integrated, community-based model combining contraception and preconception care.

Prevention of pregnancy (contraception) and preparation for pregnancy (preconception care) are services that most people need during their reproductive life course. Despite increased attention, and growing recognition that health before pregnancy is crucial to addressing disparities in maternity outcomes, service provision is far from routine. We bring together evidence from the literature, new quantitative and qualitative data on women's preferences, and case studies of existing practice, to develop an integrated, community-based model that synthesises reproductive life planning, contraception, and preconception care. Our model provides a holistic, life course approach, encompassing school-based education, social media, and national campaigns, and highlights the need for training and system-level support for the range of health-care professionals who can deliver it. This high-level model can be adapted across settings, leading to a step change in the provision of preconception care in the community with consequent improvements in health and wellbeing, and reductions in inequalities at population level.

Opportunities for enhancing pregnancy planning and preconception health behaviours of Australian women.

PROBLEM AND BACKGROUND: The preconception period provides a significant opportunity to engage women in healthy behaviour change for improved maternal and child health outcomes. However, there is limited research exploring women's pregnancy planning in Australia. AIM: This study investigated associations between pregnancy planning, socio-demographics and preconception health behaviours in Australian women. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional survey of pregnant women ≥18-years-of-age recruited through a Victorian public maternity service and a national private health insurer. RESULTS: Overall 317 women (30±4.7 years) participated (public: n=225, private: n=92). Planned pregnancies were reported by 74% of women and were independently associated with marital status (AOR=5.71 95% CI 1.92-17.00, p=0.002); having ≤2 children (AOR=3.75 95% CI 1.28-11.05, p=0.016); and having private health insurance (AOR=2.51 95% CI 1.08-5.81, p=0.03). Overall, women reported preconception: any folic-acid supplementation (59%), up-to-date cervical screening (68%), weight management attempts (75%), accessing information from health professionals (57%) and immunisation reviews (47%). Pregnancy planners were more likely to use folic-acid (AOR=17.13 95% CI 7.67-38.26, p<0.001), review immunisations (AOR=2.09 95% CI 1.07-4.10, p=0.03) and access information (AOR=3.24 95% CI 1.75-6.00, p<0.001) compared to non-planners. Women <25-years-of-age were less likely to access information (AOR=0.38 95% CI 0.16-0.89, p=0.03) and take folic-acid (AOR=0.23 95% CI 0.09-0.59, p=0.002) and were more likely to smoke 3-months preconception (AOR=6.68 95% CI 1.24-36.12, p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Women with planned and unplanned pregnancies reported variable preconception health behaviour uptake and limited healthcare engagement. Opportunities exist to improve awareness and healthcare engagement for optimising preconception health and pregnancy planning benefits including collaborative health promotion. Population-based and targeted approaches reaching pregnancy planners and non-planners are required.

Before the beginning: nutrition and lifestyle in the preconception period and its importance for future health.

A woman who is healthy at the time of conception is more likely to have a successful pregnancy and a healthy child. We reviewed published evidence and present new data from low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries on the timing and importance of preconception health for subsequent maternal and child health. We describe the extent to which pregnancy is planned, and whether planning is linked to preconception health behaviours. Observational studies show strong links between health before pregnancy and maternal and child health outcomes, with consequences that can extend across generations, but awareness of these links is not widespread. Poor nutrition and obesity are rife among women of reproductive age, and differences between high-income and low-income countries have become less distinct, with typical diets falling far short of nutritional recommendations in both settings and especially among adolescents. Several studies show that micronutrient supplementation starting in pregnancy can correct important maternal nutrient deficiencies, but effects on child health outcomes are disappointing. Other interventions to improve diet during pregnancy have had little effect on maternal and newborn health outcomes. Comparatively few interventions have been made for preconception diet and lifestyle. Improvements in the measurement of pregnancy planning have quantified the degree of pregnancy planning and suggest that it is more common than previously recognised. Planning for pregnancy is associated with a mixed pattern of health behaviours before conception. We propose novel definitions of the preconception period relating to embryo development and actions at individual or population level. A sharper focus on intervention before conception is needed to improve maternal and child health and reduce the growing burden of non-communicable diseases. Alongside continued efforts to reduce smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity in the population, we call for heightened awareness of preconception health, particularly regarding diet and nutrition. Importantly, health professionals should be alerted to ways of identifying women who are planning a pregnancy.

Why do women invest in pre-pregnancy health and care? A qualitative investigation with women attending maternity services.

BACKGROUND: Despite the importance attributed to good pre-pregnancy care and its potential to improve pregnancy and child health outcomes, relatively little is known about why women invest in pre-pregnancy health and care. We sought to gain insight into why women invested in pre-pregnancy health and care. METHODS: We carried out 20 qualitative in-depth interviews with pregnant or recently pregnant women who were drawn from a survey of antenatal clinic attendees in London, UK. Interviewees were purposively sampled to include high and low investors in pre-pregnancy health and care, with variation in age, partnership status, ethnicity and pre-existing medical conditions. Data analysis was conducted using the Framework method. RESULTS: We identified three groups in relation to pre-pregnancy health and care: 1) The "prepared" group, who had high levels of pregnancy planning and mostly positive attitudes to micronutrient supplementation outside of pregnancy, carried out pre-pregnancy activities such as taking folic acid and making changes to diet and lifestyle. 2) The "poor knowledge" group, who also had high levels of pregnancy planning, did not carry out pre-pregnancy activities and described themselves as having poor knowledge. Elsewhere in their interviews they expressed a strong dislike of micronutrient supplementation. 3) The "absent pre-pregnancy period" group, had the lowest levels of pregnancy planning and also expressed anti-supplement views. Even discussing the pre-pregnancy period with this group was difficult as responses to questions quickly shifted to focus on pregnancy itself. Knowledge of folic acid was poor in all groups. CONCLUSION: Different pre-pregnancy care approaches are likely to be needed for each of the groups. Among the "prepared" group, who were proactive and receptive to health messages, greater availability of information and better response from health professionals could improve the range of pre-pregnancy activities carried out. Among the "poor knowledge" group, better response from health professionals might yield greater uptake of pre-pregnancy information. A different, general health strategy might be more appropriate for the "absent pre-pregnancy period" group. The fact that general attitudes to micronutrient supplementation were closely related to whether or not women invested in pre-pregnancy health and care was an unanticipated finding and warrants further investigation.

Nonbiomedical stroke practitioners in Aceh.

Stroke resources in Indonesia are limited; however, there has been demand to include nonbiomedical practitioners in stroke care. This paper will present a snapshot of available nonbiomedical stroke 'services' used by stroke survivors in two subdistricts of Aceh, Indonesia. Data were collected through interviews, observations, focus groups and vignettes with stroke survivors, their carers, biomedical and nonbiomedical stroke practitioners. Two categories of nonbiomedical practitioners were identified, all of whom discussed and demonstrated an understanding and approach to stroke treatment with multiple layers of influence, predominantly, education, religion and culture. There were a number of areas of overlap between the two categories; some of these influences were also evident in the biomedical practitioners.