(Press-News.org) Vitamin D during pregnancy boosts children’s bone health even at age seven
Children whose mothers took extra vitamin D during pregnancy continue to have stronger bones at age seven, according to new research led by the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton (UHS).
Bone density scans revealed that children born to mothers who were given vitamin D supplements during pregnancy have greater bone mineral density in mid-childhood. Their bones contain more calcium and other minerals, making them stronger and less likely to break.
Researchers say the findings, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reinforce the importance of vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy as a public health strategy.
Dr Rebecca Moon, NIHR Clinical Lecturer in Child Health at the University of Southampton led the analysis. She said: “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. It strengthens children’s bones and reduces the risk of conditions like osteoporosis and fractures in later life.”
Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body - minerals essential for bones, teeth and muscle health.
In 2009, researchers launched the MAVIDOS study, recruiting over 1000 women from Southampton, Oxford and Sheffield.
During their pregnancy, the women were randomly allocated to two groups: One group took an extra 1,000 International Units per day of vitamin D. The other took a placebo tablet each day. The pregnant women, and the doctors and midwives looking after them, did not know which group they were in.
Previous research assessed the children’s bone health at four years of age and the results showed that the child’s bone mass was greater in children born to mothers who had had vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy compared with those who had not.
In this latest study, the researchers investigated whether the effects on bone health continued into mid-childhood. The team followed up with 454 children aged six to seven. These children were all born to mothers who took part in Southampton.
The results confirmed that the beneficial effect on children’s bones was similar at ages four and six to seven.
Pregnant women in the UK are now routinely advised to take vitamin D supplements.
The Southampton research team are part of the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre (MRC LEC) and the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).
The MAVIDOS trial has helped the Southampton researchers understand possible mechanisms linking maternal vitamin D supplementation with offspring bone mass. In 2018 they demonstrated that the vitamin D supplementation led to changes in the activity of genes forming part of the vitamin D pathway.
In 2022, they found taking the supplements during pregnancy could substantially reduce the chances of babies up to a year old suffering from atopic eczema.
They also observed that pregnant women given extra vitamin D were more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal delivery, or ‘natural’ delivery.
Professor Nicholas Harvey is Director of the University’s MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Centre, Professor of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidemiology and project lead.
He said: “These findings add to the important knowledge generated through the MAVIDOS trial.
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the mothers and children involved. Their contributions have advanced our understanding of vitamin D supplementation and its role in supporting strong and healthy bones.”
Pregnancy vitamin D supplementation and offspring bone mineral density in childhood follow-up of a randomized controlled trial is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The research was funded by Versus Arthritis, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute for Health and Care Research and the Bupa Foundation.
Ends
Contact
Steve Williams, Media Manager, University of Southampton, press@soton.ac.uk or 023 8059 3212.
Notes for editors
Pregnancy vitamin D supplementation and offspring bone mineral density in childhood follow-up of a randomized controlled trial is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
For Interviews with Dr Rebecca Moon and Prof Nicholas Harvey please contact Steve Williams, Media Manager, University of Southampton press@soton.ac.uk or 023 8059 3212.
Additional information
The University of Southampton drives original thinking, turns knowledge into action and impact, and creates solutions to the world’s challenges. We are among the top 100 institutions globally (QS World University Rankings 2025). Our academics are leaders in their fields, forging links with high-profile international businesses and organisations, and inspiring a 22,000-strong community of exceptional students, from over 135 countries worldwide. Through our high-quality education, the University helps students on a journey of discovery to realise their potential and join our global network of over 200,000 alumni. www.southampton.ac.uk
www.southampton.ac.uk/news/contact-press-team.page
Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/UoSMedia
END
Vitamin D during pregnancy boosts children’s bone health even at age seven
2024-11-06
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Use of “genetic scissors” carries risks
2024-11-06
The CRISPR molecular scissors have the potential to revolutionize the treatment of genetic diseases. This is because they can be used to correct specific defective sections of the genome. Unfortunately, however, there is a catch: under certain conditions, the repair can lead to new genetic defects – as in the case of chronic granulomatous disease. This was reported by a team of basic researchers and physicians from the clinical research program ImmuGene at the University of Zurich (UZH).
Chronic granulomatous disease is ...
Does work-related stress compromise cardiovascular health?
2024-11-06
In a large multi-ethnic group of adults in the United States without cardiovascular disease, those with work-related stress were more likely to have unfavorable measures of cardiovascular health. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
For the analysis, investigators assessed data collected between 2000 and 2002 for 3,579 community-based men and women aged 45–84 years enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Cardiovascular health was determined based on seven metrics—smoking, physical activity, body mass index, diet, total cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose—with each metric contributing zero points, ...
New research may lead to potatoes that are less reliant on nitrogen fertilizers
2024-11-06
Because nitrogen fertilizers contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions, scientists are looking for ways to modify agricultural plants so that they rely on less nitrogen. In research published in New Phytologist, investigators have found that blocking a particular protein may achieve this goal in potatoes.
The protein, called Solanum tuberosum CYCLING DOF FACTOR 1 (StCDF1), binds to DNA and plays a key role in regulating tuberization in potatoes. In this latest research, investigators found that StCDF1 ...
Do commercial ties influence ESG ratings?
2024-11-06
An analysis published in the Journal of Accounting Research uncovers evidence that conflicts of interest arising from commercial ties lead to bias in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings.
Investigators focused on Moody’s and S&P’s acquisitions of ESG rating agencies Vigeo Eiris and RobecoSAM. Their analysis revealed that after these ESG rating agencies were acquired by Moody’s and S&P, they issued higher ratings to existing paying clients of Moody’s and S&P. Specifically, ...
Study assesses "gendered space" in financial institutions in Pakistan
2024-11-06
In Islamic cultures, purdah, which literally means “curtain,” is a practice that involves the seclusion of women from public observation and the enforcement of high standards of female modesty. Research published in the Journal of Management Studies examines the significance of purdah (spatial modesty) in gender relations in financial institutions in Pakistan.
The research was based on the lived experiences of women and men working in two banks based in Pakistan. One of the study’s co-authors, Shafaq Chaudhry, PhD, of the University of Central Lancashire, in the UK, sought internships for six weeks ...
Chinese herbal medicine’s potential in preventing dementia
2024-11-06
Attempts to discover a breakthrough dementia drug might be drawing attention these days, but traditional medicinal products can offer hints for preventive medicine.
A research group led by Specially Appointed Professor Takami Tomiyama of Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Medicine has found that administering the dried seeds of a type of jujube called Ziziphus jujuba Miller var. spinosa, used as a medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine, holds promise in restoring cognitive and motor function in model mice.
By administering hot water extracts of Zizyphi spinosi semen to model mice with ...
Firms that read more perform better
2024-11-06
[Vienna, November 6, 2024] — “Tell me how you read and I’ll tell you who you are.” By analyzing online reading behavior across millions of firms worldwide, a new study out of the Complexity Science Hub (CSH) connects how much information companies consume and how the consumption relates to their size.
"The way companies consume information is reminiscent of biological organisms. They take in, transmit, and transform information to make decisions. As with organisms, there are important size differences. Larger firms tend to consume information more efficiently ...
Tightly tied waist cord of saree underskirt may pose cancer risk, warn doctors
2024-11-06
A tightly tied waist cord of the underskirt (petticoat) traditionally worn under a saree, particularly in rural parts of India, may lead to what has been dubbed ‘petticoat cancer,’ warn doctors in the journal BMJ Case Reports after treating two women with this type of malignancy.
The continued pressure and friction on the skin can cause chronic inflammation, leading to ulceration, and, in some cases, progression to skin cancer, say the authors.
This phenomenon has previously been described as “saree cancer,” but it is the tightness of the waist cord that’s to blame, ...
10% of children in high-burden tuberculosis settings may develop the disease by age 10
2024-11-06
EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:30 PM EST Tuesday, November 5, 2024
Contact:
Jillian McKoy, jpmckoy@bu.edu
Michael Saunders, msaunder@bu.edu
##
10% of Children in High-Burden Tuberculosis Settings May Develop the Disease by Age 10
New findings also indicate that children who live in settings with a high burden of TB have a consistently high annual risk of developing TB infection throughout childhood.
An estimated 1.2 million children develop tuberculosis disease (TB) and 200,000 kids die from TB worldwide each year, but the risk of developing TB infection and disease throughout childhood remains under-studied. Furthermore, the majority of studies on the pediatric burden of TB are informed by data ...
Health experts push for the elimination of a ‘remarkably harmful toxin’
2024-11-06
The Biden administration’s recently announced plan to replace all lead pipes in the U.S. is a reminder that the toxic metal remains a threat, even in a country that has largely banned its use. The smallest levels of lead exposure can cause a range of health damages over time, especially to children’s brain development. Stanford researchers Stephen Luby and Jenna Forsyth have spent years examining the widespread presence of lead in low-income countries, including in some commonly consumed products. They led a perspective published Nov. 5 in The Lancet Public Health that tallies lead’s global ...