A study carried out on 45 women by the Queensland University of Technology has found that pregnant women with high levels of sun exposure may face complications in childbirth due to lower folate levels.
The study says that Ultra Violet (UV) exposure significantly depleted folate levels in young women. Those spending time outdoors on regular basis were experiencing a 20 per cent folate level reduction.
“This is concerning as the benefits of folic acid are well-known, with health professionals urging young women to take a folic acid supplement prior to and during pregnancy,” researcher Michael Kimlin said in a report published in Free press Journal.
The researcher further added that the study, which was the first to investigate the effects of sun exposure on folate levels in women of childbearing age, found women who had high levels of sun exposure had folate levels below those recommended for women considering pregnancy.
“The women at risk were those who were outside during the most UV intense time of the day, between 10 am and 3 pm, with little sun protection,” Kimlin said.
“These were the women who had the highest levels of sun exposure and the lowest levels of folate, whilst not deficient in folate, they were on the lower side of normal,” he said.
Kimlin said that insufficient folic acid levels was also responsible for miscarriages. He said that it would be unfair to solely blame folate levels on birthing issues, but it is definitely one of the contributing factors and they hope that through more research they can be one step closer to helping families and child care.
