An experimental study on the effect of maternal folate diet on microstructure of some vital organs of offspring

Introduction: Folic acid (FA) deficiency or its supplementation during pregnancy affects fetal development at critical periods and can cause more potentially impaired organ development through epigenetic gene regulations. The present study aimed to analyze the effect of maternal FA deficiency and/or its supplementation in diet during gestation on offspring's few major fetal organs, including brain, liver, pancreas, and kidney. Material and Methods: This experimental study was done on 18 female Wistar rats to study the effects of dietary FA intake (absence/supplementation,/normal amount) during pregnancy on the development of offspring's liver, kidney, and pancreas development. Results: The present study revealed that with maternal FA supplementation, there was increase in the number of islets in pancreas, number of hepatic lobules, and renal glomeruli in offspring, which, in turn, correlates with increased risk of cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases in their later life. Discussion and Conclusion: The findings in this study support the possible negative effects of higher FA supplementation during peri-conceptional and pregnancy phase on offspring and indicates long-term health hazards in their later life.