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Discover Pediatric Collections on COVID-19 and Racism and Its Effects on Pediatric Health

American Academy of Pediatrics
Special Article

Vitamin D in Fetal Development: Findings From a Birth Cohort Study

Prue H. Hart, Robyn M. Lucas, John P. Walsh, Graeme R. Zosky, Andrew J.O. Whitehouse, Kun Zhu, Karina L. Allen, Merci M. Kusel, Denise Anderson and Jenny A. Mountain
Pediatrics January 2015, 135 (1) e167-e173; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-1860
Prue H. Hart
aTelethon Kids Institute,
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Robyn M. Lucas
aTelethon Kids Institute,
bCollege of Medicine, Biology and Environment, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia;
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John P. Walsh
cDepartment of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia; and
dSchool of Medicine and Pharmacology, and
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Graeme R. Zosky
aTelethon Kids Institute,
eSchool of Medicine, Faculty of Health, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
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Andrew J.O. Whitehouse
aTelethon Kids Institute,
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Kun Zhu
cDepartment of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Australia; and
dSchool of Medicine and Pharmacology, and
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Karina L. Allen
aTelethon Kids Institute,
fSchool of Psychology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia;
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Merci M. Kusel
aTelethon Kids Institute,
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Denise Anderson
aTelethon Kids Institute,
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Jenny A. Mountain
aTelethon Kids Institute,
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Abstract

Birth cohort studies provide an invaluable resource for studies of the influence of the fetal environment on health in later life. It is uncertain to what extent maternal vitamin D status influences fetal development. Using an unselected community-based cohort of 901 mother-offspring pairs (the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort [Raine] Study), we examined the relationship between maternal vitamin D deficiency at 18 weeks’ pregnancy and long-term health outcomes of offspring who were born in Perth, Western Australia (32° South), in 1989–1991. Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] <50 nmol/L) was present in 36% (323 of 901) of the pregnant women. After adjusting for relevant covariates, maternal vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy was associated with impaired lung development in 6-year-old offspring, neurocognitive difficulties at age 10, increased risk of eating disorders in adolescence, and lower peak bone mass at 20 years. In summary, vitamin D may have an important, multifaceted role in the development of fetal lungs, brain, and bone. Experimental animal studies support an active contribution of vitamin D to organ development. Randomized controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation in pregnant women with long-term follow-up of offspring are urgently required to examine whether the correction of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women is beneficial for their offspring and to determine the optimal level of maternal serum 25(OH)D for fetal development.

  • vitamin D deficiency
  • pregnancy
  • developmental origins of health and disease
  • lungs
  • brain
  • bones
  • Accepted October 2, 2014.
  • Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics

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Pediatrics
Vol. 135, Issue 1
1 Jan 2015
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Vitamin D in Fetal Development: Findings From a Birth Cohort Study
Prue H. Hart, Robyn M. Lucas, John P. Walsh, Graeme R. Zosky, Andrew J.O. Whitehouse, Kun Zhu, Karina L. Allen, Merci M. Kusel, Denise Anderson, Jenny A. Mountain
Pediatrics Jan 2015, 135 (1) e167-e173; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2014-1860

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Vitamin D in Fetal Development: Findings From a Birth Cohort Study
Prue H. Hart, Robyn M. Lucas, John P. Walsh, Graeme R. Zosky, Andrew J.O. Whitehouse, Kun Zhu, Karina L. Allen, Merci M. Kusel, Denise Anderson, Jenny A. Mountain
Pediatrics Jan 2015, 135 (1) e167-e173; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2014-1860
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  • Article
    • Abstract
    • The Raine Prospective Birth Cohort
    • Associations of Bone, Lung, and Brain Development With Serum 25(OH)D Levels
    • Studies in Experimental Animals
    • Is Vitamin D or Exposure to UV Radiation Responsible for the Observed Associations?
    • Vitamin D in Fetal Development: An Active Player or Apparent Effects Due to Confounding?
    • Sobering Lessons From Studies in Adults Determining the Requirements for Vitamin D for Better Health
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