Serum Folate and Plasma Homocysteine According to MTHFR C677T Genotype and Folic Acid Supplementation in Japanese Women Preparing for Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Periconceptional folic acid supplementation reduces the risk of neural tube defects. Serum folate primarily reflects recent folate exposure, whereas plasma homocysteine may provide complementary, although non-specific, information on folate-related one-carbon metabolism. We investigated the relationships among serum folate, plasma homocysteine, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T genotype, and folic acid supplementation in Japanese women preparing for pregnancy.