New study led by the University of Southampton reveals that children born to mothers who took vitamin D supplements during pregnancy sustain stronger bone health even at age seven. Experts emphasize the public health importance of this early intervention.
Children whose mothers took vitamin D supplements during pregnancy continue to enjoy stronger bones by age seven, according to new research led by the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton. This discovery highlights the long-term benefits of prenatal vitamin D supplementation, further supporting its role as a critical public health measure.
The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showcases bone density scans that indicate children of supplemented mothers have higher bone mineral density. This means their bones are richer in calcium and other crucial minerals, fortifying them against potential fractures and osteoporosis later in life.
“Our findings show that the benefits of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy persist into mid-childhood. This early intervention represents an important public health strategy,” Rebecca Moon, NIHR Clinical Lecturer in Child Health at the University of Southampton, said in a news release. “It strengthens children’s bones and reduces the risk of conditions like osteoporosis and fractures in later life.”
Vitamin D governs the body’s levels of calcium and phosphate — minerals essential for robust bones, teeth and muscles. The Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis Study (MAVIDOS), initiated in 2009, included over 1,000 pregnant women from Southampton, Oxford and Sheffield. The participants were randomly assigned to either receive an extra 1,000 International Units of vitamin D daily or a placebo, remaining unaware of their groupings.
Earlier assessments at age four had already revealed stronger bones in children of the vitamin D group compared with their peers.
This new investigation confirms that these benefits extend into mid-childhood. The researchers followed up with 454 children aged six to seven, all born to participating mothers in Southampton, and found the same positive outcomes.
Currently, pregnant women in the UK are routinely advised to take vitamin D supplements, a practice bolstered by this study’s findings.
Previous MAVIDOS study results have likewise shown that vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy can lead to changes in gene activity related to the vitamin D pathway and may reduce the incidence of atopic eczema in babies up to one year old. Additionally, there is a noted increase in chances of natural deliveries among supplemented women.
“These findings add to the important knowledge generated through the MAVIDOS trial,” added project lead Nicholas Harvey, a professor of rheumatology and clinical epidemiology at the University of Southampton.
The study underscores the long-term health advantages of prenatal vitamin D.