Studies examine vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy, for infants, children

Bottom Line: Vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy and for infants and children is the focus of two studies, an editorial and a patient page.

Why The Research Is Interesting: Vitamin D is essential for building and maintaining healthy bones and research suggests it may have other potential health benefits.

What: A randomized clinical trial of 975 healthy infants in Finland reports no difference in bone strength or incidence of infections at age 24 months when infants were given a higher daily dose of supplemental vitamin D (1,200 IU) compared with the standard dose (400 IU).

Authors: Sture Andersson, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland, and coauthors

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.0602

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.0602)

What: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 24 randomized clinical trials examined vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy on several infant outcomes including small for gestational age, fetal or neonatal death, and congenital abnormality.

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Authors: Shu Qin Wie, M.D., Ph.D., of University of Montreal, Canada, and coauthors

Want to embed a link to this study in your story? Links will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.0302

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.0302)

Related Material: The editorial, "Prenatal Vitamin D Supplementation to Improve Health in Offspring," by Hans Bisgaard, M.D., D.M.Sc., of the Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Gentofte, Denmark, the JAMA Pediatrics Patient Page, "Vitamin D and Your Child," and a podcast also are available on the For The Media website.

To Learn More: The full studies are available on the For The Media website.

Editor's Note: Please see the articles for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.