Vitamin D for Baby

By Editorial Staff

Anyone who didn't appreciate the potential health benefits of vitamin D got a crash course over the past few years when COVID thrust D into the spotlight as an immune booster. But that's not the only health benefit, and for pregnant mothers, it's not just beneficial for them. In fact, ensuring optimal vitamin D status while expecting may help babies avoid a common, frustrating skin condition: eczema.

Research published in a recent issue of the British Journal of Dermatology suggests babies whose mothers took 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily during pregnancy (weeks 14 until delivery) had a lower risk of developing atopic eczema in their first year. In determining the risk reduction attributable to vitamin D supplementation, the researchers compared two groups: 352 women who took a D supplement (1,000 IU) and 351 who took an inactive placebo pill.

Eczema isn't the only pediatric condition that can be minimized or avoided with maternal vitamin D supplementation: Research from the Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis Study, which also yielded data for the eczema study, showed supplementation during pregnancy also benefited childhood bone density at age 4.

Better skin, better bone health: If you're expecting, make sure your prenatal supplement includes vitamin D and talk to your health care team about the benefit of supplementing with D if necessary. You can reference this research if your doctor(s) haven't heard about it yet.