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A new study reveals that increased vitamin D intake during pregnancy can significantly strengthen children’s bones, with effects lasting until at least age seven. Published on Wednesday, this research highlights that supplementing with vitamin D in pregnancy can help boost bone mineral density in children well into mid-childhood, making them less prone to fractures.
Vitamin D, commonly known as the “sunshine vitamin,” is crucial in regulating calcium and phosphate levels—minerals that are essential for maintaining healthy bones, teeth, and muscles. In this study, researchers from the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton (UHS) in the UK found that women who increased their vitamin D intake during pregnancy saw a measurable benefit in their children’s bone strength.
The study involved more than 1,000 pregnant women, divided into two groups: one taking an additional 1,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D daily, and the other taking a placebo. The research team then tracked the children’s bone health at ages four and six to seven. They found that the beneficial effects of increased maternal vitamin D supplementation—such as higher bone mineral density and elevated calcium levels—were sustained as the children grew, reducing their risk of fractures.
“This early intervention represents an important public health strategy,” said Dr. Rebecca Moon, NIHR Clinical Lecturer in Child Health at the University of Southampton. In the study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Dr. Moon emphasized that maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy could play a vital role in strengthening children’s bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures later in life.
Notably, the Southampton research team previously reported that vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy also lowered the risk of atopic eczema in infants up to a year old. This growing body of evidence underscores vitamin D’s potential benefits for both maternal and child health, supporting recommendations for adequate vitamin D intake among pregnant women.
As awareness of maternal nutrition’s long-term impact on child health rises, researchers hope that more expectant mothers will consider vitamin D supplementation as part of their prenatal care to help build strong, resilient bones in the next generation.
