Nonlinear and Sex-Specific Associations of Maternal Vitamin D in Early- and Mid-Pregnancy with Childhood Growth Trajectories From Birth to 6 Years of Age: A Prospective Cohort Study in China

A prospective cohort of 1,100 Chinese mother‑child pairs found nonlinear, sex‑specific associations between maternal vitamin D levels in early and mid‑pregnancy and offspring growth trajectories from birth to age six. Low early‑pregnancy vitamin D increased odds of rising height‑for‑age and BMI‑for‑age Z‑scores, while low mid‑pregnancy vitamin D raised odds of increasing weight‑for‑age and height‑for‑age Z‑scores. Conversely, high early‑pregnancy vitamin D was linked to higher BMI trajectories, especially in boys. The lowest risk of adverse trajectories occurred when maternal 25‑hydroxyvitamin D was between roughly 30‑75 nmol/L, suggesting both deficiency and excess are detrimental.

Source: Frontiers in Nutrition