Vitamin D Supplementation During Pregnancy and Bone Status in Children at Birth and at One Year of Age

Vitamin D deficiency is frequently reported in pregnant women despite recommendation of daily vitamin D supplementation of 400IU/d. Recent studies have shown that in the absence of sun exposure these doses are seldom able to achieve 25(OH)D optimal serum levels. We hypothesize that larger doses of vitamin D are needed to be supplemented to all women during pregnancy. We hypothesize that this may have advantageous effects on maternal vitamin D and bone reserve as well on offspring vitamin D and bone status at birth and possible further on. The aim of the present study is to compare vitamin D and bone status of infants born to mothers supplemented with 400IU/d (present recommendations) and 2000IU/d vitamin D during the third trimester of pregnancy.