A study of nearly 29,000 children by Dr. Kristen Roth of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and colleagues found that 204 of them had severe speech impairments. Compared with children whose mothers received folic acid supplements before and during pregnancy, children whose mothers did not receive folic acid supplements were twice as likely to be nonverbal and have severe language delays by age 3.
Researchers said that folic acid plays an important role in the normal division and self-repair of nervous system cells, which is directly related to the normal development of the language area of the brain. Appropriate folic acid supplementation from 4 weeks before pregnancy to 8 weeks after pregnancy is crucial to preventing speech disorders in children. Therefore, it is best for pregnant women to eat more green leafy vegetables and fruits rich in folic acid, and take folic acid supplements when necessary.