Effect of B1-, B6- and Iron Intake During Pregnancy on Neonatal Behavior

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze how micronutrient intake during preconception and pregnancy affects neonatal behavior. A total of 66 healthy women volunteers were studied during preconception and in weeks 6, 10, 26, and 38 of pregnancy using the seven-day dietary record. The behavior of the newborn infant was assessed after three days of life using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). Multiple linear regression models were built and adjusted for the confounding variables in each of the periods studied and for each one of the various NBAS clusters. The intake of vitamins B1 and B6 in the sixth week of pregnancy and of iron in the 38th week of pregnancy have a positive and significant effect on the motor cluster of the NBAS independently of the body mass index (BMI), preconception age, gestational age, educational level, whether the mother is a smoker, the mother’s personality dimensions, and the weight and sex of the newborn. The intake of B1, B6, and iron during pregnancy might contribute to the neuromotor maturity of the newborn.