Effect of Vitamin D Intake During Pregnancy on Offspring

Supplementation during pregnancy can have potential positive health outcomes for offspring.

Supplementation during pregnancy can have potential positive health outcomes for offspring. A new study in JAMA Pediatrics looked at whether a 7-fold increased intake of vitamin D during pregnancy is linked to improved bone health in offspring when compared with the regular dose.1

Researchers did a prespecified analysis of a double-blinded, randomized clinical trial using the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood 2010 cohort that included 623 pregnant women and their 584 children. The women were given either a 2800 IU/d of vitamin D (high dose) or 400 IU/d (standard dose) from the 24th week in the pregnancy until a week following birth.

At age 6 years, 517 children underwent clinical follow-up. An analysis of dual-energy radiography absorptiometry scan outcomes from ages 3 years and 6 years found that the children born to mothers who had been given a high dose of vitamin D had higher whole-body bone mineral content than the children born to mothers who were given a standard dose. 

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