Table 1 A comparison of the characteristics of CBGS participants by folic acid supplementation in pregnancy

Supplemented with multiple micronutrients (all of which contained folic acid)

0 yes

198 no

526 yes

250 no

Age (years)

33.1 (32.5–33.7) (n = 179)

33.6 (33.3–33.9) (n = 710)

Height (m)

1.65 (1.64–1.66) (n = 180)

1.66 (1.66–1.67) (n = 729)

Pre-pregnancy weight (kg)

67.0 (65.0–69.0) (n = 177)

66.1 (65.1–67.1) (n = 708)

Weight gain in pregnancy (kg)

7.5 (6.3–8.6) (n = 121)

8.7 (8.2–9.3) (n = 523)

Pre-pregnancy BMI (kg/m²)

24.5 (23.9–25.2) (n = 172)

24.0 (23.6–24.3) (n = 693)

Smoked during pregnancy

11 yes

184 no

20 yes

742 no

Parity (n of pregnancies)

2.0 (1.9–2.1) (n = 195)

1.7 (1.6–1.8) (n = 761)

Anaemia

3 yes

183 no

19 yes

717 no

GDM

11 yes

112 no

57 yes

489 no

Pre-eclampsia

3 yes

195 no

12 yes

764 no

Gestational hypertension

7 yes

78 no

21 yes

366 no

Premature birth (< 37 weeks gestation)

3 yes

192 no

14 yes

748 no

Length of pregnancy (weeks)

39.9 (39.7–40.1) (n = 195)

39.9 (39.8–40.0) (n = 762)

Offspring low birth weight

5 yes

190 no

21 yes

739 no

Offspring SGA at birth (n no/yes)

0 yes

195 no

5 yes

755 no