Is pregnancy in diabetic women associated with folate deficiency?

OBJECTIVE - To determine whether folate metabolism in pregnant diabetic wom en is significantly different from that in pregnant nondiabetic women, thus predisposing them to having offspring with major congenital anomalies. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - A total of 31 pregnant diabetic women and 54 pregnant nondiabetic control subjects were studied at their first prenatal visits. Dietary folate intake, serum folate, red blood cell folate, urinary folate, and homocysteine were measured and compared after controlling for folate supplementation. Among diabetic women, the relationships among param eters of folate metabolism and glycemic control were also assessed. RESULTS - There were no significant differences between the pregnant diabet ic and nondiabetic women for any measures of folate metabolism after accoun ting for folate supplementation. In addition, among diabetic women, there w ere no associations among parameters of folate metabolism and glycemic cont rol. CONCLUSIONS - Abnormal folate metabolism does not appear to occur in pregna nt diabetic women. It is unlikely that deranged folate metabolism explains the higher incidence of major anomalies in infants of diabetic mothers. The se results do not diminish the importance of periconception folate suppleme ntation or preclude other possible scenarios that could restrict folate use by the embryo, leading to congenital anomalies.