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Taking vitamin D supplements in pregnancy strengthens babies’ immune systems, which may lower their risk of developing asthma, new research reveals.
The unborn babies of expectant mothers who take more than the recommended daily vitamin D dose for pregnant women respond better when exposed to simulated pathogens.
Researchers from King’s College London analysed the impact of taking a 4,400 IU vitamin D supplement every day during a woman’s second and third trimester versus the recommended daily intake of 400 IU.
Study participants were randomised at 10 to 18 weeks of pregnancy to receive either high or low dose vitamin D.
The researchers then took umbilical cord blood samples from 51 pregnant women to assess the responsiveness of newborns’ immune systems when exposed to simulated pathogens.
Results show that blood samples of babies born to mothers taking the higher vitamin D dose, had a greater immune response.