Folic acid throughout pregnancy ‘can boost children’s resilience’

Taking folic acid supplements throughout pregnancy enhances psychological development in children, says new research carried out by the University of Ulster, UK.

According to the researchers, it is widely accepted that taking folic acid in the first trimester of pregnancy can benefit children’s brain development. However, scientists have not known if continuing to take the supplements throughout pregnancy can offer any additional advantages until now.

The researchers asked the parents of 39 children, now aged seven, to answer questions about their child’s personality, including levels of resilience, relationships with others and how they express their emotions. A total of 22 of the mothers surveyed had taken the supplement throughout their pregnancy, while the other 19 took it only during the first three months.

It was discovered that children whose mothers took the supplement throughout pregnancy demonstrated higher levels of emotional intelligence and resilience. The researchers explained that further analysis also revealed that the level of folic acid in the mother’s blood towards the end of pregnancy could predict the children’s resilience and emotional intelligence.