357 - Impact of Maternal and Child Vitamin D Supplementation during Lactation on Acute Infection: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Poster Board #: 357
Publication #: 3910-HP-QA.357

Background: Mounting research supports the idea that vitamin D plays an expansive role in the health of the mother and her fetus during pregnancy and lactation, beyond its well-accepted role in calcium and bone metabolism. One area of growing interest is the role vitamin D may play in immune function, particularly within the developing respiratory system of infants.


Objective: Examine whether maternal vitamin D (vitD) supplementation influences respiratory health among breastfed infants.


Design/Methods: A randomized, double-blinded clinical trial was conducted at two study sites of differing latitudes to determine the effectiveness of maternal vitD supplementation in achieving adequate vitD status in both lactating mother and breastfeeding infant. Mother/infant dyads enrolled at 4 to 6 weeks postpartum were randomized to receive either 400 IU/400 IU (control), 2400 IU/placebo (low dose), or 6400 IU/placebo (high dose) vitD3/day for 6 months. Maternal serum vitamin 25(OH)D lab values were collected at baseline then monthly and infant lab values measured at baseline, 4 months, and 7 months. For this post hoc analysis, the primary outcome was history of acute respiratory infection (ARI, defined as a cold and/or ear infection) in offspring at baseline, 4 months, and 7 months as assessed by a monthly parental questionnaire. Student’s t-test analyses were used to show difference in infant infection, mean maternal 25(OH)D, or mean infant 25(OH)D (p<0.05).


Results: Lactating women (n=242) were randomized to control (n = 105), low-dose (n = 32), or high-dose (n = 105) vitD3 supplementation. A total of 128 infants (53%) reported an ARI within the first six months of life. Infants in the high-dose group did not differ in illness profile or vitD status compared to those infants in the control group. Maternal 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower among infants who had an ear infection at visit 4 (44.2 v. 22.7 ng/mL 25-D, p=0.04).

Conclusion(s): While infants in the 400- and 6400-IU groups had equivalent vitD status, mothers’ vitD status differed. On the basis of maternal treatment group and 25(OH)D concentration, there were no differences in the incidence of ARI during the first six months of life. There was a difference, however, in maternal vitD of infants with acute ear infections at visit 4. Additional studies are needed to determine the role of maternal vitD status on infant immune status during lactation.


Infant ARI within month prior to visit by Maternal vitamin D status


Infant ARI within month prior to visit by Treatment group


Infant ARI within month prior to visit by Maternal vitamin D status

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Authors/Institutions: Kari VanEvery, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Charleston, South Carolina, United States; John E. Baatz, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Charleston, South Carolina, United States; Judy R. Shary, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Charleston, South Carolina, United States; Myla Ebeling, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Charleston, South Carolina, United States; Mathew Gregoski, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States; Carol L. Wagner, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Charleston, South Carolina, United States