Prenatal vitamin D levels and infant cognitive, motor, language and social-emotional development at 6 and 9 months of age

ABSTRACT

Aim

Vitamin D is involved in several processes related to the development of neuronal and non-neuronal cells. There is a possible link between maternal vitamin D status in pregnancy and delayed neurocognitive development in the offspring. The aim of the study was to explore the association of maternal and cord blood vitamin D levels with infants’ neurodevelopment at 6 and 9 months of age.

Methodology

A cohort study was conducted in western Rajasthan, India. Maternal and cord blood samples were collected at the time of delivery. Serum 25(OH)-vitamin D levels were measured in both. Infant neurodevelopment was assessed at 6 and 9 months of age in six domains namely cognitive, receptive language, expressive language, fine motor, gross motor and social-emotional using the Bayley Scale of Infant Development- III (BSID-III).

Results

A total of 175 mother–child pairs were enrolled. Among the mothers taking part in this study, 7.3% had deficient and 59.09% had insufficient levels of serum 25(OH) vitamin D during the third trimester of their pregnancy. Maternal and cord blood serum 25-OH vitamin D levels were 18.86 ± 8.53 ng/mL and 17.39 ± 8.87 ng/mL, respectively, and there was a significant correlation (r = 0.9778, p = 0.000) between levels of vitamin D. Based on the repeated measures ANOVA, post hoc Tukey’s HSD test, maternal vitamin D levels had a significant relationship (p = 0.047) to the cognitive development of infants at 6 months of age. Furthermore, cord serum vitamin D levels showed a significant association (p = 0.023 and p = 0.010) with the social-emotional development of the infant at the age of 6 and 9 months.

Conclusion

Maternal and cord serum 25-OH vitamin D deficiency was significantly associated with the cognitive and social-emotional development of infants.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Vitamin D
• infant
• mother
• neurodevelopment

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the participants and their support as a part of the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics approval

The study was approved from the Institute Ethical Committee of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Dolat Singh Shekhawat

Dolat Singh Shekhawat, MSc, PhD is a senior resident at AIIMS Jodhpur having medical genetics and molecular medicine as his fields of interest.

Kuldeep Singh

Kuldeep Singh, MD, DM, FAMS is a professor and head, pediatrics with his work focused on rare genetic disorders, child health, medical education, innovations and public health.

Pratibha Singh

Pratibha Singh, MD, Professor and head of obstetrics & gynecology, AIIMS Jodhpur specialized in multiple areas of women's health including fetal medicine.

Varuna Vyas

Varuna Vyas, MD, an additional professor of pediatrics, specializes in pediatric endocrinology.

Shoban Babu Varthya

Shoban Babu Varthya, MD, an associate professor of pharmacology, has an interest in drug development.

Praveen Sharma

Praveen Sharma, PhD, a former Professor and head of biochemistry at AIIMS Jodhpur has an interest in clinical biochemistry.