Babies conceived in the winter between January and March are more likely to have learning difficulties because their mothers did not get enough vitamin D in pregnancy, a new study suggests.
Learning problems, such as dyslexia, reading problems and ADHD, are more prevalent in children conceived in the winter -those then born between October and December- suggesting that mothers were not getting enough of the sunshine vitamin during their first trimester.
Sunlight: An Important Source of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin necessary for the development of bones. Sunlight helps the body to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency results in rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
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‘Nearly 10% of the children conceived in the first quarter of the year had learning disabilities compared to 7.6 percent of those conceived between July and September, highlighting the lack of vitamin D exposure.’
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The study of more than 800,000 children by the Universities of Glasgow and Cambridge, the NHS and the Scottish Government, found 8.9 percent of children conceived in the first quarter of the year had learning disabilities compared to 7.6 percent of those conceived between July and September.
They believe that 11 percent of all learning difficulties could be prevented if expectant mothers were to follow NHS guidance on taking vitamin D supplements.
![Medical Management of Vitamin Deficiencies]( "Medical Management of Vitamin Deficiencies")
Vitamins are essential for our body to grow and develop normally. Vitamin deficiencies are widespread. Understand the role of dietary sources in vitamin deficiency prevention.
Around 700,000 babies are born in Britain each year, which suggests an extra 2,000 children a year end up with learning difficulties.
Prof Gordon Smith, department head of obstetrics and gynaecology at Cambridge, said: "If vitamin D levels do indeed explain the seasonal fluctuations observed in this study, we would hope that widespread compliance with the advice would lead to loss of this variation, and would have a downward effect on overall rates of special educational needs."
Although the current study did not directly measure vitamin D, it remains perhaps the most plausible explanation for the trend.
Hence, these findings underline the importance of health professionals recommending vitamin D, and the importance of women complying with the treatment to optimise their chances of a healthy child.
Prof Jill Pell, director of Glasgow's Institute of Health and Wellbeing, added, "It is important that pregnant women follow the advice to take vitamin D supplements and also that they start supplements as early in pregnancy as possible - ideally when they are trying to get pregnant.
Asked whether modern indoor lifestyle contributed to the rise in learning difficulties, Prof Pell added: "The suggestion is possible but reduced exposure to sunlight is likely to have occurred over decades rather than a few years and other things will also have changed over that time such as awareness, diagnosis and recording."
Source: Medindia
Medical Management of Vitamin Deficiencies
Vitamins are essential for our body to grow and develop normally. Vitamin deficiencies are widespread. Understand the role of dietary sources in vitamin deficiency prevention.
Advertisement
Around 700,000 babies are born in Britain each year, which suggests an extra 2,000 children a year end up with learning difficulties.
Prof Gordon Smith, department head of obstetrics and gynaecology at Cambridge, said: "If vitamin D levels do indeed explain the seasonal fluctuations observed in this study, we would hope that widespread compliance with the advice would lead to loss of this variation, and would have a downward effect on overall rates of special educational needs."
Although the current study did not directly measure vitamin D, it remains perhaps the most plausible explanation for the trend.
Hence, these findings underline the importance of health professionals recommending vitamin D, and the importance of women complying with the treatment to optimise their chances of a healthy child.
Prof Jill Pell, director of Glasgow's Institute of Health and Wellbeing, added, "It is important that pregnant women follow the advice to take vitamin D supplements and also that they start supplements as early in pregnancy as possible - ideally when they are trying to get pregnant.
Asked whether modern indoor lifestyle contributed to the rise in learning difficulties, Prof Pell added: "The suggestion is possible but reduced exposure to sunlight is likely to have occurred over decades rather than a few years and other things will also have changed over that time such as awareness, diagnosis and recording."
Source: Medindia
Foods that Negatively Affect Bone Density
Calcium and vitamin D are known to improve bone health. Most people are aware of the foods which promote bone health but are unaware of those that lower bone density leading to osteoporosis.
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