New Study: One-Third of Pregnant Women in the U.S. Are Vitamin D Deficient — And It May Impact Their Children’s Brain Development

A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that roughly one in three pregnant women in the U.S. lack sufficient vitamin D — a deficiency that may have lasting effects on their children’s brain development.

Researchers led by Melissa Melough, Assistant Professor of Nutrition Science at the University of Delaware, analyzed more than 900 mother-child pairs across the country as part of the national ECHO (Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes) study. They discovered that children born to mothers with higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy scored better on cognitive tests measuring memory, attention, and problem-solving skills between the ages of 7 and 12.

The study also found that the link between vitamin D and improved cognitive outcomes was strongest among Black families — a group that experiences much higher rates of deficiency. About 80% of Black pregnant women in the U.S. are deficient, compared to about 33% of pregnant women overall. This is largely due to melanin in the skin, which reduces the body’s ability to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight.

These findings highlight an important opportunity for health care providers to screen for vitamin D levels earlier in pregnancy and encourage appropriate supplementation. According to Melough, early intervention may be especially critical: “Our study suggested that vitamin D levels early in pregnancy may be most important for childhood cognitive development.”

Previous research from Melough’s team also linked higher prenatal vitamin D levels with increased childhood IQ and fewer behavioral problems — underscoring the nutrient’s potential role in shaping long-term brain health.

While further randomized controlled trials are needed to determine causality and ideal vitamin D thresholds during pregnancy, the evidence so far suggests low-cost interventions could yield lifelong benefits for children — and help reduce racial health disparities in the process.

Click here to read more about the study from The Conversation.

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