Gnosis by Lesaffre study unveils Quatrefolic + B complex may improve pregnancy outcomes in infertile women

14 Apr 2022 --- Supplementing with vitamin B complex Quatrefolic may lead to higher chances of clinical pregnancy and live birth than supplementing with B9 (folic acid) alone, a Gnosis by Lesaffre study reveals.

The company-backed research highlights the vitamin B complex – 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) as Quatrefolic from Gnosis by Lesaffre plus vitamins B12 and B6 – may lead to better pregnancy outcomes in infertile women undergoing assisted reproductive technologies (ART).

“This relatively inexpensive supplementation with vitamin B complex might be considered in clinical practice, particularly in women undergoing ART,” the study notes.

“Folic acid is currently the standard prescription for women in the preconception period, yet the evidence is growing highlighting that folic acid is simply not as effective as folate,” Silvia Pisoni, global market manager of reproduction and women’s health with Gnosis by Lesaffre, tells NutritionInsight.

“Gnosis by Lesaffre is hoping to change the standard of care by working to educate the medical community about the clinical evidence demonstrating that folate, specifically our active folate Quatrefolic, is a more effective option, providing mothers-to-be the best path to health and opportunity to conceive.”

Nutrition and micronutrient levels can play a role in pregnancy outcomes.Impact of supplements
The study strengthens the positioning of Quatrefolic in fertility, already shown by observational studies conducted on couples with a history of fertility problems such as recurrent fetal loss, premature ovarian insufficiency or abnormal sperm parameters, Pisoni adds.

Researchers compared the impact of the different supplements on pregnancy outcomes: clinical pregnancy, pregnancy loss and live birth. 

A total of 269 infertile women were involved in the study undergoing ART, of which 111 were supplemented daily with B Complex Quatrefolic. The remaining 158 received folic acid supplements. 

In the vitamin B complex-supplemented women, the mean number of Metaphase II oocytes and the pronuclear stage fertilization rate score was higher than in women supplemented with folic acid. 

The results showed a higher percentage of women in the vitamin B complex group had a clinical pregnancy and live birth in comparison to the folic acid group, leading the authors to conclude that: “women undergoing homologous ART supplemented with 5-MTHF and vitamin B12 and B6 have a higher chance of clinical pregnancy and live birth in comparison to those supplemented with only folic acid.”

Pisoni previously told NutritionInsight that consumers and practitioners alike often lack an understanding of the nuances between folic acid, folate and their various forms.

Reproduction and nutrition
ART represents widely used procedures for the control and treatment of infertility, Gnosis by Lesaffre explains. 

“Reproductive success is highly influenced by the female pre-conceptional health, including nutrition and micronutrient levels, which may play a pivotal role in this initial phase.” 

Currently, folic acid is considered the standard supplementation for preconception care, the research notes. Nonetheless, the homocysteine pathway in the preconception period is important to evaluate to highlight micronutrient deficiencies.

In this case, optimal multivitamin supplementation is warranted, the study underscores.

Further studies and randomized clinical trials are needed to elucidate the effects of folate, vitamin B12, and the homocysteine pathway in improving pregnancy outcomes in women after ART, the researchers note.

By Andria Kades