Evidence mapPaperPMID 42290938Full record

ReviewReproductive medicine and biology

The Role of Vitamins in Preconception Care and Infertility Treatment: A Narrative Review.

Kuniaki Ota, Toshifumi Takahashi

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Reproductive medicine and biology. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Kuniaki OtaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology Kawasaki Medical School Okayama Japan.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3984-975X
Toshifumi TakahashiFukushima Medical Center for Children and Women Fukushima Medical University Fukushima Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Micronutrient supplementation is widely used in infertility care and preconception management, yet clinical evidence supporting its effectiveness differs among vitamins. Methods: This narrative review summarizes current evidence on water- and fat-soluble vitamins in women undergoing infertility treatment, with an emphasis on assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes, biological mechanisms, and clinical relevance from a preconception care perspective. Main Findings: Among water-soluble vitamins, folate and vitamin B12 show the most consistent associations with ART outcomes, reflecting their central roles in one-carbon metabolism, DNA synthesis, and methylation. Genetic variation in folate metabolism, including methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphisms, may further modify reproductive outcomes and influence folate formulation choice. In contrast, clinical evidence for vitamins B6 and C remains limited despite biological plausibility. Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among infertile women and has been associated with less favorable reproductive outcomes, although supplementation trials suggest modest and context-dependent benefits. Evidence supporting vitamin E or vitamin A use is largely confined to surrogate markers or specific phenotypes. Conclusion: Despite biological plausibility and widespread use, current evidence does not support routine vitamin supplementation in infertility care. A targeted approach based on documented deficiencies and clinical phenotype is more appropriate.

Indexed as

assistedfolic acidinfertilitypreconception carereproductive techniquesvitamin D

Identifiers

PMID42290938
PMCPMC13261685

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.