Maternal Consumption of Non-Staple Food in the First Trimester and Risk of Neural Tube Defects in Offspring

To study the associations between maternal consumption of non-staple food in the first trimester and risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) in offspring. Data collected from a hospital-based case-control study conducted between 2006 and 2008 in Shandong/Shanxi provinces including 459 mothers with NTDs-affected births and 459 mothers without NTDs-affected births. Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between maternal consumption of non-staple food in the first trimester and risk of NTDs in offspring. The effects were evaluated by odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) with SAS9.1.3.software. Maternal consumption of milk, fresh fruits and nuts in the first trimester were protective factors for total NTDs. Compared with consumption frequency of ˂1 meal/week, the ORs for milk consumption frequency of 1-2, 3-6, ≥7 meals/week were 0.50 (95% CI: 0.28-0.88), 0.56 (0.32-0.99), and 0.59 (0.38-0.90), respectively; the ORs for fresh fruits consumption frequency of 1-2, 3-6, ≥7 meals/week were 0.29 (95% CI: 0.12-0.72), 0.22 (0.09-0.53), and 0.32 (0.14-0.71), respectively; the ORs for nuts consumption frequency of 1-2, 3-6, ≥7 meals/week were 0.60 (95% CI: 0.38-0.94), 0.49 (0.31-0.79), and 0.63 (0.36-1.08), respectively. Different effects of above factors on NTDs were found for subtypes of anencephaly and spina bifida. Maternal non-staple food consumption of milk, fresh fruits and nuts in the first trimester was associated with reducing NTDs risk in offspring.