Effects of High and Low Doses of Folic Acid on the Soluble Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B Ligand/Osteoprotegerin Ratio during Pregnancy

Background: Pregnancy Associated Osteoporosis (PAO) can lead to serious difficulties such as fragility fractures, elongated back pain and height loss in affected women. Soluble Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-Kappa B ligand (sRANKL) to Osteoprotegerin (OPG) ratio is chosen as a bone metabolism equation in many bone diseases characterized by bone resorption, such as post-menopausal osteoporosis and would be modified with folic acid supplementation. This study was done to compare the effects of high dose (5mg/day) and low dose (0.5 mg/day) folic acid in the RANKL/OPG ratio and Tumor Necrosis Factorα (TNFα) concentration during pregnancy.