Maternal vitamin D status affects bone growth in early childhood--a prospective cohort study

• Published in: Osteoporosis international 2011-03, Vol.22 (3), p.883-891
• Main Authors: Viljakainen, H. T, Korhonen, T, Hytinantti, T, Laitinen, E. K. A, Andersson, S, Mäkitie, O, Lamberg-Allardt, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Bone Density; Bone Development - drug effects; Bone growth; Bones; Child development; Development; Diet; Dietary Supplements; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Endocrinology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Male; Maternal vitamin D status; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Original; Original Article; Orthopedics; Osteoporosis. Osteomalacia. Paget disease; Pediatric; Pregnancy; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Prospective Studies; Rheumatology; Tibia - diagnostic imaging; Tibia - growth & development; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - analogs & derivatives; Vitamin D - blood; Vitamin D - therapeutic use; Vitamins - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 0937-941X; 1433-2965; 1433-2965
• DOI: 10.1007/s00198-010-1499-4

Summary In this prospective study, 87 children were followed up from birth to 14 months with data on maternal vitamin D status during the pregnancy. Postnatal vitamin D supplementation improved vitamin D status but only partly eliminated the differences in bone variables induced by maternal vitamin D status during the fetal period. Introduction Intrauterine nutritional deficits may have permanent consequences despite improved nutritional status postnatally. We evaluated the role of prenatal and postnatal vitamin D status on bone parameters in early infancy. Methods Eighty-seven children were followed from birth to 14 months. Background data were collected with a questionnaire and a 3-day food record. At 14 months bone variables were measured with peripheral computed tomography (pQCT) from the left tibia. Serum 25-OHD and bone turnover markers were determined. Findings were compared with maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy. Results The children were divided into two groups based on vitamin D status during pregnancy. Despite discrepant S-25-OHD at baseline (median 36.3 vs. 52.5 nmol/l, p < 0.001), the values at 14 months were similar (63 vs. 66 nmol/l, p = 0.58) in Low D and High D. Serum 25-OHD increased more in Low D (p < 0.001) despite similar total intake of vitamin D (mean 12.3 μg/day). In Low D, tibial bone mineral content (BMC) was lower at birth but BMC gain was greater (multivariate analysis of variance [MANOVA]; p = 0.032) resulting in similar BMC at 14 months in the two groups. In High D, tibial total bone cross-sectional area was higher at baseline; the difference persisted at 14 months (MANOVA; p = 0.068). Bone mineral density (BMD) and ΔBMD were similar in the two groups. Conclusions Postnatal vitamin D supplementation improved vitamin D status but only partly eliminated the differences in bone variables induced by maternal vitamin D status during the fetal period. Further attention should be paid to improving vitamin D status during pregnancy.