VOLUME 2 - NUMBER 3 - 2020
Building better babies: should choline supplementation be recommended for pregnant and lactating mothers? Literature overview and expert panel consensus
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Marie A. Caudill, Rima Obeid, Emma Derbyshire, Wolfgang Bernhard, Kfir Lapid, Steven J. Walker, Steven H. Zeisel
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Statements, 149-161
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Full text PDF
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Accumulating evidence confirms choline as a critical, essential perinatal nutrient. Choline contributes to fetal and infant brain development with possible lifelong effects on cognitive function. Maternal choline supply supports placental health and reduces the risk of birth defects. Further, choline is involved in gene regulation during growth and development. Despite these apparent health benefits, choline intake in many pregnant and lactating women is insufficient. While US obstetricians and gynecologists are encouraged to recommend choline supplementation, their peers in Europe are less familiar with its importance. We provide an overview of the evidence and seek interpretation from an expert panel.
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KEY WORDS: Choline; prenatal supplementation; pregnancy outcomes; fetal brain development.
