New research from South Australia highlights the urgent need to establish a safe upper limit for folic acid intake during pregnancy and to improve guidelines on folic acid supplementation during pregnancy. National surveillance shows the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Australia has more than tripled, rising from 5.6% in 2010 to 19.3% in 2022. “Our study shows that excess maternal folate significantly increases GDM risk in our post-fortification pregnancy cohort,” says Dr Jankovic-Karasoulos, from the Robinson Research Institute at University of Adelaide. Researchers emphasise the importance of adequate folate in pregnancy but highlight the need to establish a safe upper limit of FA intake. Reference:Jankovic-Karasoulos T, Smith MD, Leemaqz S, Mittinty M, Williamson J, McCullough D, Arthurs AL, Dekker GA, Roberts CT. Maternal Folate Excess, Placental Hormones, and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Findings from Prospective Cohorts Before and After Mandatory Folic Acid Food Fortification.