The Reason Why Pregnant Women Should Keep Taking Prenatal Supplements Despite Autism Concerns

The recently-reported findings of a study shocked all the pregnant women who consider taking prenatal vitamins and other supplements a must during pregnancy.

The study findings explained how women who take vitamin B12 and folic acid supplements during pregnancy are 17.6 percent more likely to give birth to a child who suffers from autism spectrum disorder. This is in comparison to those women who have normal vitamin B12 and folic acid levels during pregnancy and are not required to take any supplements.

At first, women may decide to stop taking supplements during pregnancy. However, this might not be the key takeaway that the women should take.

At least, that's what a recent study claims. During the study, a team of researchers at the John Hopkin's University, analyzed data for 1,391 mothers and their children. These mothers participated in a study called Boston Birth Cohort. The researchers followed the pair of mothers and children for a period of 15 years.

The mothers were asked to participate in a survey designed to assess their intake of prenatal vitamins and supplements throughout their pregnancy. The researchers also took blood samples from the mothers three days after they gave birth to their babies. The intention was to check the levels of vitamins in their blood.

According to the records, a total of 107 children were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. However, there was no association between the amount of supplements that a woman took and the risk of their child being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

For example, women who told that they took prenatal multivitamins three to five times per week had less chances of being told that their child was on the autism spectrum, according to the LA Times. This is in comparison to mothers who did not take multivitamins during pregnancy.

The researchers thus conclude that adequate levels of supplements are required for normal development of children. The researchers, thus, recommend women to continue taking supplements.