Miscarriage Risk Reduced by Daily Multivitamins Before and After Conception

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Germaine M. Buck Louis, Ph.D., M.S. Office of the Director, Division of Intramural Population Health Research Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Rockville, Maryland 20852.

Dr-Germaine M. Buck-Louis

Germaine M. Buck Louis, Ph.D., M.S.
Office of the Director
Division of Intramural Population Health Research
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Rockville, Maryland 20852.

MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: To understand the association between couples’ lifestyles and risk of pregnancy loss.  Couples were recruited upon discontinuing contraception to try for pregnancy and followed daily for up to one year of trying or until pregnancy.  Pregnant women were followed daily for 7 weeks following conception then monthly.

MedicalResearch.com: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Response: Important to consider couples (not just women’s) lifestyles while trying for pregnancy, AND extending into pregnancy.  Emphasize that women at risk for pregnancy or trying for pregnancy should take a multivitamin daily consistent with preconception guidance.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response: It would be important to know more about decaffeinated beverages (not studied here) and whether they affect the risk of pregnancy loss in couples.  Would also be important to know more about all the different types of caffeinated beverages consumed (e.g., coffee, tea, soda, etc….) and risk of pregnancy loss.

Ensure women at risk for pregnancy or planning to try for pregnancy are taking multivitamins daily.

And, for pregnant women to continue to take multivitamins throughout pregnancy.

Couples might consider limiting caffeinated beverage consumption to 2 or fewer daily drinks to minimize risk of pregnancy loss.

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Response:  Importance of maintaining or adopting a healthy lifestyle for both partners of a couple when trying for pregnancy.

MedicalResearch.com: Thank you for your contribution to the MedicalResearch.com community.

Citation:

Lifestyle and pregnancy loss in a contemporary cohort of women recruited before conception: The LIFE Study

Buck Louis, Germaine M. et al.

Fertility and Sterility , Volume 0 , Issue 0

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.03.009
Published Online:March 22, 2016

Note: Content is Not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care provider regarding your specific medical condition and questions.

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Last Updated on March 24, 2016 by Marie Benz MD FAAD