Prenatal Choline Supplements May Protect Offspring if Mother Contracts Viral Infection

Taking choline supplements during pregnancy may reduce the negative impact of viral respiratory infections on offspring, according to astudy published in theJournal of Psychiatric Research.“The new analysis may provide information relevant to potential COVID-19 effects on fetal brain development and their interaction with higher prenatal maternal choline levels,” wrote Robert Freedman, M.D., of the University of Colorado School of Medicine and colleagues.Previous studies showed that infection in pregnant women can affect fetal brain development and may increase the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia in offspring. Freedman and others have also found evidence to suggest higher levels of maternal choline —a vitamin B nutrient found in various foods and dietary supplements—may help mitigate these risks to infants.It is recommended that pregnant women get 500 mg of choline daily, according to Freedman and colleagues. For the current study, the researchers compared choline levels measured at 16 weeks ’ gestation in 36 pregnant women who had developed moderate to severe respiratory infections by week 16 with 53 mothers who reported no inflections. When the infants reached three months of age, the mothers completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised Short Form (IBQ-R). The questionnaire a sks parents to rate infants on measures of attention and engagement with parents, fearfulness and sadness, activity, and m...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: ADHD autism choline COVID-19 infant behavior Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised infections Journal of Psychiatric Research prenatal supplements Robert Freedman schizophrenia Source Type: research