“Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy can affects the brain development of babies”

21/12/2012

Interview with Dr. Eva Morales, author of the study “Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in Pregnancy and Infant Neuropsychological Development
What motivated you to do this study? What methodology has been followed?
Deficiency of vitamin D during pregnancy could hinder brain development in infants, affecting their mental behavior and psychomotor skills. However, human studies are limited. To investigate this hypothesis we determined the concentration of vitamin D in the blood during pregnancy nearly 2,000 women participating in the INMA Project. And at 14 months of age, trained neuropsychologists evaluated their children about their main cognitive and psychomotor functions by applying the neuropsychological test Bayley.

What are the main findings of the study?
One in two pregnant women had insufficient levels of vitamin D in the blood (<30 ng / mL). Children of mothers with insufficient levels of vitamin D during pregnancy scored lower on cognitive function and psychomotor her that children whose mothers had vitamin optimal levels (> 30 ng / mL). In general, lower scores on neuropsychological tests could lead to lower IQs in children.

What is the role of Vitamin D in the human body?
The main function of vitamin D is the regulation of calcium and phosphorus levels in blood and the step of calcium from bones. It plays a key role in bone formation and mineralization and is essential for skeletal development. Besides its importance for proper bone development Vitamin D also plays an important role in other organ systems of the human body such as muscle, intestine, pancreas, heart and vascular system, the immune system and the brain.

“Children of mothers with insufficient levels of vitamin D
during pregnancy scored lower on cognitive and psychomotor
function than children whose mothers had optimal levels of vitamin”. 

What consequences can have a poor level of Vitamin D for a pregnant woman?
Vitamin D regulates the development and function of the placenta so their deficit during pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery and cesarean section, as well as an increased risk of insulin resistance, impaired glucose and diabetes during pregnancy.

What about the baby?
Vitamin D levels in the fetus and neonate are totally dependent on vitamin D levels in their blood during pregnancy. It is estimated that the concentration of vitamin D in blood or cord can be equal to 20{3effe4377b6f02be2524d084f7d03914ac32a2b62c0a056ca3444e58c1f10d0b} lower than the concentration in maternal blood. Inadequate levels of vitamin D during pregnancy may worsen the bone development would be the most severe form of rickets. And also may influence the development of a weaker immune system with increased susceptibility to suffer respiratory infections and asthma in childhood. Currently many studies as the INMA Project are investigating whether exposure to inadequate levels of vitamin D during key stages of development as the intrauterine period can increase the risk of developing diseases in adulthood, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, asthma , autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.

“The vitamin D regulates the development and function
of the placenta so its deficit during pregnancy has been linked
with an increased risk of pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery, cesarean section, increased risk of insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and diabetes during pregnancy”. 

You found any significant differences between different groups of women? (Age, education, social status, origin …)
Yes we identify major factors associated with blood levels of vitamin D during pregnancy were geographical latitude (women living in areas further south of Spain and Valencia had higher levels of vitamin D in their blood than those women residents in areas further north), the time of year when blood was drawn (higher levels in summer and lower in winter), the age of the woman (the younger women had lower levels), social class women (women of lower social classes had lower levels), body mass index (the overweight and obese women had lower levels), and smoking during pregnancy (women smokers had lower levels).

“Currently many studies as the INMA Project are investigating
whether exposure to inadequate levels vitamin D during
key stages of development as the intrauterine
may increase the risk of developing diseases in adulthood.” 

What options are available, for a pregnant woman, to improve levels of Vitamin D?
It is recommended that all people, not just the pregnant, keep blood levels of vitamin D sufficient. For this there are two options: increase intake through diet and / or taking supplements or increasing sun exposure. There are very few foods that naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D. Also under study if the use of vitamin D supplements can be helpful in maintaining adequate blood levels and to determine the amounts recommended and safe supplements to be taken by different groups of people according to their needs. So the most effective and healthy way to have sufficient levels of vitamin D is moderate sun exposure. In fact, most people can get enough vitamin D with short exposures to the sun (between 10 and 15 minutes per day).

Eva Morales is Doctor in Medicine. Master In Public Health. Specialist in Preventive Medicine and Public Health and works in the cohort INMA of Sabadell