New trial to see if vitamin D in pregnancy can lower risk of osteoporosis
20 October 2008
A study to discover whether giving pregnant women Vitamin D supplements could reduce the risk of their babies developing osteoporosis in later life, has been launched by researchers at the MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre in Southampton.
The trial, which is being funded by the Arthritis Research Campaign (ARC), will initially involve 180 pregnant women from the Southampton area. Scientists aim to discover if giving supplements to Vitamin D-deficient pregnant women can increase the bone density of their babies, and ensure their bones remain strong and healthy into adulthood.
Dr Nick Harvey, who is running the study with colleague and ERC Director Professor Cyrus Cooper, explains: “This is the first randomised control trial to formally assess the effectiveness of prenatal intervention on the later risk of osteoporosis in newborns; to look at whether the bone mass of an individual can be modified before it is even born.”
Previous research by the team has shown that children whose mothers were Vitamin D-deficient during pregnancy had weaker bones at birth and at age nine. They also discovered that a combination of good bone growth in the womb plus a healthy diet and plenty of exercise in childhood were vital factors in the development of strong bones and therefore avoiding osteoporosis.
Dr Harvey says: “That period of early development is potentially the cause of permanent change during childhood during the growth trajectory. Calcium intake during childhood can modify growth temporarily but it doesn’t have a long-term effect. It may be that what happens during the inter-uterine period can give a lifetime of benefit. So for these mothers – for all mothers – this is a really important study.”
The initial Southampton pilot trial will run for 18 months before being extended to a further one thousand women recruited from maternity centres in Sheffield and Oxford. Volunteers will be split in to three groups with one group taking 800 iu of Vitamin D; the second taking 1000 iu; and the third taking a placebo pill for the duration of their pregnancies. Each baby’s bone density will be measured by DXA scan within the first ten days after birth. Mothers-to-be will also be asked to complete a questionnaire about their diet and calcium intake.
For more information on ARC go to http://www.arc-uk.org/
