In a prospective cohort study, the association between maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy... more In a prospective cohort study, the association between maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy and offspring forearm fractures during childhood and adolescence was analysed in 30 132 mother and child pairs recruited to the Danish National Birth Cohort between 1996 and 2002. Data on characteristics, dietary factors and lifestyle factors were collected on several occasions during pregnancy. We analysed the association between predicted vitamin D status, based on a subsample with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) biomarker measurements (n 1497) from gestation week 25, and first-time forearm fractures among offspring between birth and end of follow-up. Diagnoses were extracted from the Danish National Patient Register. Multivariable Cox regression models using age as the underlying time scale indicated no overall association between predicted vitamin D status (based on smoking, season, dietary and supplementary vitamin D intake, tanning bed use and outdoor physical activity) in pregnancy and offspring forearm fractures. Likewise, measured 25(OH)D, tanning bed use and dietary vitamin D intake were not associated with offspring forearm fractures. In mid-pregnancy, 91 % of the women reported intake of vitamin D from dietary supplements. Offspring of women who took >10 µg/d in mid-pregnancy had a significantly increased risk for fractures compared with the reference level of zero intake (hazard ratios (HR) 1·31; 95 % CI 1·06, 1·62), but this was solely among girls (HR 1·48; 95 % CI 1·10, 2·00). Supplement use in the peri-conceptional period exhibited similar pattern, although not statistically significant. In conclusion, our data indicated no protective effect of maternal vitamin D status with respect to offspring forearm fractures.
Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Jan 31, 2015
Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with asthma medic... more Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with asthma medication use and self-reported symptoms, but associations with lung function and allergic sensitization have been minimally explored. The aim of the study was to examine associations between prenatal exposures to POPs and allergic sensitization and lung function in 20-year old offspring. In a Danish cohort of 965 pregnant women established in 1988-89, six polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) were quantified in archived maternal serum drawn in gestational week 30 (n=872). At age 20 years, 416 offspring (45% of those invited) attended a clinical examination including measurements of allergic sensitization (serum specific IgE > 0.35 kUA /L) and lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1 ) and forced vital capacity (FVC)). There were no associations between maternal concentrations of POPs and o...
Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with asthma medic... more Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with asthma medication use and self-reported symptoms, but associations with lung function and allergic sensitization have been minimally explored. The aim of the study was to examine associations between prenatal exposures to POPs and allergic sensitization and lung function in 20-year old offspring. In a Danish cohort of 965 pregnant women established in 1988-89, six polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) were quantified in archived maternal serum drawn in gestational week 30 (n=872). At age 20 years, 416 offspring (45% of those invited) attended a clinical examination including measurements of allergic sensitization (serum specific IgE > 0.35 kUA /L) and lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1 ) and forced vital capacity (FVC)). There were no associations between maternal concentrations of POPs and offspring allergic sensitization at 20 years of age. Maternal concentrations of POPs were, however, positively associated with offspring airway obstruction (FEV1 /FVC<75%). Compared to offspring in the first tertile of exposure, offspring in the third tertile of dioxin-like PCB exposure had an OR of 2.96 (95% CI: 1.14-7.70). Similar associations for non-dioxin-like PCBs, HCB, and p,p'-DDE were 2.68 (1.06-6.81), 2.63 (1.07, 6.46), and 2.87 (1.09, 7.57), respectively. No associations were observed with reduced lung function (FEV1 %predicted value<90%). Our data indicate that prenatal exposure to POPs appears to be associated with airway obstruction but not allergic sensitization at 20-years of age. The findings support that chronic obstructive lung diseases may have at least part of their origins in early life. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Maternal fat intake during pregnancy in relation to offspring metabolic outcomes has been studied... more Maternal fat intake during pregnancy in relation to offspring metabolic outcomes has been studied primarily in animal models, yet little is known about the association in humans. The aim of this study was to examine the association of total and subtype of fat consumption in pregnancy with anthropometric measures and biomarkers of adiposity and glucose metabolism in the offspring. A source population was 965 Danish pregnant women recruited in 1988-1989 with offspring follow-up at 20 years. Information on fat intake was collected in the 30(th) week of gestation, and we subdivided fat according to saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fat. Offspring body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were recorded at follow-up (n = 670-678), and biomarkers were quantified in a subset (n = 443) of participants. Multivariable linear and log-binomial regression were used to calculate effect estimates and 95% CI for a 1:1%energy substitution of carbohydrates for fat. The mean (standard deviation) BMI was 22.1 (3.3) and 22.8 (2.9) kg/m(2) in female and male offspring, respectively. The median (10th to 90th percentile) of maternal fat intake was 31% of energy [23,39]. We found no overall associations for maternal fat intake with female offspring anthropometry. However, for male offspring higher intake of MUFA during pregnancy was associated with higher insulin levels at 20 years (Q4 vs. Q1: %Δ: 37, 95% CI: 1, 86) accompanied by a non-significant 3.6 (95% CI: -1.1, 8.2) cm increase in WC. High maternal total fat intake (>=35% energy) was also associated with higher BMI (0.9, 95% CI: 0.2, 1.6) and WC (4.0, 95% CI: 1.6, 2.3) among male offspring. A high fat diet during pregnancy may increase adiposity in adult male offspring. We surmise that maternal MUFA intake during this time included both MUFA and trans fat misclassified as MUFA, and that the associations observed may be more reflective of the latter exposure.
To examine the relation between the protein:carbohydrate (P/C) ratio and added sugar intake in pr... more To examine the relation between the protein:carbohydrate (P/C) ratio and added sugar intake in pregnancy and gestational weight gain (GWG). A prebirth cohort including 103 119 pregnancies enrolled between 1996 and 2003. All women in Denmark were eligible to participate if they spoke Danish and were planning to carry to term.The pregnant women were recruited and enrolled during their first antenatal visit (6-10 weeks of gestation). Participants included women with live-born singletons and complete data on dietary intake and GWG, leaving 46 262 women for the analysis. Macronutrient intake was quantified using a validated food frequency questionnaire administered in the 25th week of gestation. The P/C ratio and added sugar intake were examined in quintiles. GWG was based on self-reported weight in gestational weeks 12 and 30 and defined as gain in g/week. We used multivariable linear regression, including adjusting for pre-pregnancy body mass index, to calculate relative change in GWG ...
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 2014
ABSTRACT On 13 March 2013, the Center for Fetal Programming at Statens Serum Institute (http://ww... more ABSTRACT On 13 March 2013, the Center for Fetal Programming at Statens Serum Institute (http://www.cfp-research.com/) organized a 1-day scientific symposium on Fetal Programming in Copenhagen. The symposium was organized in close collaboration with the European FP7 consortium, the 'EarlyNutrition Project', and it gathered more than 100 researchers in the field of fetal and neonatal programming. The symposium generated many fruitful interactions between researchers and research groups from the two organizations, which share several central research questions but often address these in complementary ways. Abstracts for posters and lectures presented at the symposium were published in an online supplement of AOGS (1). However, because the topic of fetal programming was thought of particular interest to obstetricians and other AOGS readers, it was decided to publish adapted versions of selected lectures given at the symposium and related background material as articles in AOGS; which led to this theme issue on fetal programming. Here we introduce some central issues in the field of programming research. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Vitamin D is obtained from dietary sources and synthesized in the skin during exposure to ultravi... more Vitamin D is obtained from dietary sources and synthesized in the skin during exposure to ultraviolet B radiation in sunlight. During pregnancy, vitamin D is transported from mother to fetus through the placenta in the form of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. There is evidence that vitamin D influences neuronal differentiation, endocrine functions, and fetal brain growth. Animal studies indicate alterations in the offspring brain as a consequence of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy. In humans, maternal vitamin D insufficiency has been linked to impaired child language development. Using data from a prebirth cohort with up to 22 years of follow-up, we examined the association of vitamin D status with proxies of offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes. During 1988-1989, pregnant women were recruited for the DaFO88 cohort (n = 965) in Aarhus, Denmark. Maternal concentrations of 25(OH)D were quantified in serum from week 30 of gestation via the LC-MS/MS method (n = 850). Offspring were followed up through national registries until the age of 22 years. We evaluated the association of the maternal concentration of 25(OH)D with offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes defined as first admission diagnosis or prescription of medication for (1) ADHD, (2) depression, and (3) scholastic achievement based on the mean grade on standardized written examinations in the 9th grade (final exams after 10 years of compulsory school in Denmark). Maternal concentrations of 25(OH)D were higher compared to current levels (median 76 nmol/l; 5th to 95th percentiles 23-152). There was a direct association between maternal vitamin D status and offspring depression (p(trend) = 0.01); for ADHD there was no association. Scholastic achievement was slightly higher for offspring of mothers with a vitamin D status in the range of >50-125 nmol/l, but this nonlinear association was not statistically significant. Our analyses based on biomarker measurement of 25(OH)D from a cohort of 850 pregnant women combined with long-term follow-up showed no support for a beneficial fetal programming effect of vitamin D status with regard to behavioral and affective disorders and scholastic achievement.
High prenatal vitamin D status has been linked to decreased risk of atopic diseases in early chil... more High prenatal vitamin D status has been linked to decreased risk of atopic diseases in early childhood, but whether such relations persist until adulthood has not been explored. We sought to examine the association between maternal 25-hydryxovitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations and outcomes of allergic airway disease and lung function in offspring with 20 to 25 years of follow-up. In a prospective birth cohort with 965 pregnant women enrolled in 1988-1989, maternal 25(OH)D concentrations were quantified in serum from gestational week 30 (n = 850 [88%]). Offspring were followed in nationwide registries with complete follow-up to the age of 25 years (n = 850 [100%]). Additionally, at age 20 years, outcomes of allergic airway disease and lung function were assessed in a subset of offspring by using blood samples and spirometry (n = 410 [45%]) and a questionnaire (n = 641 [70%]). Exposure to a high maternal 25(OH)D concentration (≥125 nmol/L) was associated with an increased risk of asthma hospitalizations in offspring (hazard ratio [HR], 1.81; 95% CI, 0.78-4.16) during 25 years of follow-up compared with the reference group (75-<125 nmol/L). Furthermore, there were lower risks of asthma hospitalizations (HR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.08-1.02) and asthma medication use (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.35-0.95) in those exposed to a low maternal 25(OH)D concentration (<50 nmol/L). In a reduced set of participants, we found no associations between maternal 25(OH)D concentrations and offspring allergen-specific IgE, total IgE, and eosinophil cationic protein levels; self-reported doctor's diagnosis of asthma or hay fever; or lung function at 20 years of age. Our study does not provide support for a protective effect of a high maternal 25(OH)D concentration on outcomes of allergic airway disease and lung function at 20 to 25 years of age. In contrast, a high maternal 25(OH)D concentration might be associated with an increased risk of allergic diseases in offspring.
Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy may be a risk factor for child allergic disease. However, less ... more Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy may be a risk factor for child allergic disease. However, less is known about disease risk across different levels of vitamin D. We aimed to examine the relation between a maternal vitamin D prediction score and child allergic disease. A total of 32,456 pregnant women were enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996-2003) and had data on a validated vitamin D prediction score based on 1497 mid-pregnancy plasma 25(OH)D samples. Child allergic disease was assessed at 18 months and at 7 years using questionnaire data and national registry extracts. We used multivariable log-binomial models to quantify risk ratios (RR) and 95% CI. Plasma 25(OH)D was examined in a stability analysis. Median (IQR) vitamin D prediction score was 58.7 (49.2-69.0) nmol/l. In main analysis, there was no association between vitamin D prediction score examined in quintiles or by restricted categories (≥75 nmol/l and <25 nmol/l vs. 25-74.9 nmol/l) and child allergic disease. However, maternal vitamin D prediction score ≥100 nmol/l(vs. 50-79.9 nmol/l) was associated with increased risks of child asthma at 18 months (RR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.80) and asthma by hospital admission (RR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.62). For vitamin D prediction score <25-30 nmol/l, there were increased risks of child asthma at 18 months and by hospital admission and medication prescription at age 7, although these findings were not robust to covariate adjustment. Similar results were found for plasma 25(OH)D. Our study provided little evidence for an association between maternal vitamin D prediction score and child allergic disease for scores ≥75 nmol/l. However, increased risks were observed for vitamin D prediction score ≥100 nmol/l. These associations are hypothesis generating and would need to be replicated in other cohorts.
In a prospective cohort study, the association between maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy... more In a prospective cohort study, the association between maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy and offspring forearm fractures during childhood and adolescence was analysed in 30 132 mother and child pairs recruited to the Danish National Birth Cohort between 1996 and 2002. Data on characteristics, dietary factors and lifestyle factors were collected on several occasions during pregnancy. We analysed the association between predicted vitamin D status, based on a subsample with 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) biomarker measurements (n 1497) from gestation week 25, and first-time forearm fractures among offspring between birth and end of follow-up. Diagnoses were extracted from the Danish National Patient Register. Multivariable Cox regression models using age as the underlying time scale indicated no overall association between predicted vitamin D status (based on smoking, season, dietary and supplementary vitamin D intake, tanning bed use and outdoor physical activity) in pregnancy and offspring forearm fractures. Likewise, measured 25(OH)D, tanning bed use and dietary vitamin D intake were not associated with offspring forearm fractures. In mid-pregnancy, 91 % of the women reported intake of vitamin D from dietary supplements. Offspring of women who took >10 µg/d in mid-pregnancy had a significantly increased risk for fractures compared with the reference level of zero intake (hazard ratios (HR) 1·31; 95 % CI 1·06, 1·62), but this was solely among girls (HR 1·48; 95 % CI 1·10, 2·00). Supplement use in the peri-conceptional period exhibited similar pattern, although not statistically significant. In conclusion, our data indicated no protective effect of maternal vitamin D status with respect to offspring forearm fractures.
Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Jan 31, 2015
Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with asthma medic... more Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with asthma medication use and self-reported symptoms, but associations with lung function and allergic sensitization have been minimally explored. The aim of the study was to examine associations between prenatal exposures to POPs and allergic sensitization and lung function in 20-year old offspring. In a Danish cohort of 965 pregnant women established in 1988-89, six polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) were quantified in archived maternal serum drawn in gestational week 30 (n=872). At age 20 years, 416 offspring (45% of those invited) attended a clinical examination including measurements of allergic sensitization (serum specific IgE > 0.35 kUA /L) and lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1 ) and forced vital capacity (FVC)). There were no associations between maternal concentrations of POPs and o...
Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with asthma medic... more Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been associated with asthma medication use and self-reported symptoms, but associations with lung function and allergic sensitization have been minimally explored. The aim of the study was to examine associations between prenatal exposures to POPs and allergic sensitization and lung function in 20-year old offspring. In a Danish cohort of 965 pregnant women established in 1988-89, six polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) were quantified in archived maternal serum drawn in gestational week 30 (n=872). At age 20 years, 416 offspring (45% of those invited) attended a clinical examination including measurements of allergic sensitization (serum specific IgE > 0.35 kUA /L) and lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1 ) and forced vital capacity (FVC)). There were no associations between maternal concentrations of POPs and offspring allergic sensitization at 20 years of age. Maternal concentrations of POPs were, however, positively associated with offspring airway obstruction (FEV1 /FVC<75%). Compared to offspring in the first tertile of exposure, offspring in the third tertile of dioxin-like PCB exposure had an OR of 2.96 (95% CI: 1.14-7.70). Similar associations for non-dioxin-like PCBs, HCB, and p,p'-DDE were 2.68 (1.06-6.81), 2.63 (1.07, 6.46), and 2.87 (1.09, 7.57), respectively. No associations were observed with reduced lung function (FEV1 %predicted value<90%). Our data indicate that prenatal exposure to POPs appears to be associated with airway obstruction but not allergic sensitization at 20-years of age. The findings support that chronic obstructive lung diseases may have at least part of their origins in early life. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Maternal fat intake during pregnancy in relation to offspring metabolic outcomes has been studied... more Maternal fat intake during pregnancy in relation to offspring metabolic outcomes has been studied primarily in animal models, yet little is known about the association in humans. The aim of this study was to examine the association of total and subtype of fat consumption in pregnancy with anthropometric measures and biomarkers of adiposity and glucose metabolism in the offspring. A source population was 965 Danish pregnant women recruited in 1988-1989 with offspring follow-up at 20 years. Information on fat intake was collected in the 30(th) week of gestation, and we subdivided fat according to saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fat. Offspring body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were recorded at follow-up (n = 670-678), and biomarkers were quantified in a subset (n = 443) of participants. Multivariable linear and log-binomial regression were used to calculate effect estimates and 95% CI for a 1:1%energy substitution of carbohydrates for fat. The mean (standard deviation) BMI was 22.1 (3.3) and 22.8 (2.9) kg/m(2) in female and male offspring, respectively. The median (10th to 90th percentile) of maternal fat intake was 31% of energy [23,39]. We found no overall associations for maternal fat intake with female offspring anthropometry. However, for male offspring higher intake of MUFA during pregnancy was associated with higher insulin levels at 20 years (Q4 vs. Q1: %Δ: 37, 95% CI: 1, 86) accompanied by a non-significant 3.6 (95% CI: -1.1, 8.2) cm increase in WC. High maternal total fat intake (>=35% energy) was also associated with higher BMI (0.9, 95% CI: 0.2, 1.6) and WC (4.0, 95% CI: 1.6, 2.3) among male offspring. A high fat diet during pregnancy may increase adiposity in adult male offspring. We surmise that maternal MUFA intake during this time included both MUFA and trans fat misclassified as MUFA, and that the associations observed may be more reflective of the latter exposure.
To examine the relation between the protein:carbohydrate (P/C) ratio and added sugar intake in pr... more To examine the relation between the protein:carbohydrate (P/C) ratio and added sugar intake in pregnancy and gestational weight gain (GWG). A prebirth cohort including 103 119 pregnancies enrolled between 1996 and 2003. All women in Denmark were eligible to participate if they spoke Danish and were planning to carry to term.The pregnant women were recruited and enrolled during their first antenatal visit (6-10 weeks of gestation). Participants included women with live-born singletons and complete data on dietary intake and GWG, leaving 46 262 women for the analysis. Macronutrient intake was quantified using a validated food frequency questionnaire administered in the 25th week of gestation. The P/C ratio and added sugar intake were examined in quintiles. GWG was based on self-reported weight in gestational weeks 12 and 30 and defined as gain in g/week. We used multivariable linear regression, including adjusting for pre-pregnancy body mass index, to calculate relative change in GWG ...
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, 2014
ABSTRACT On 13 March 2013, the Center for Fetal Programming at Statens Serum Institute (http://ww... more ABSTRACT On 13 March 2013, the Center for Fetal Programming at Statens Serum Institute (http://www.cfp-research.com/) organized a 1-day scientific symposium on Fetal Programming in Copenhagen. The symposium was organized in close collaboration with the European FP7 consortium, the 'EarlyNutrition Project', and it gathered more than 100 researchers in the field of fetal and neonatal programming. The symposium generated many fruitful interactions between researchers and research groups from the two organizations, which share several central research questions but often address these in complementary ways. Abstracts for posters and lectures presented at the symposium were published in an online supplement of AOGS (1). However, because the topic of fetal programming was thought of particular interest to obstetricians and other AOGS readers, it was decided to publish adapted versions of selected lectures given at the symposium and related background material as articles in AOGS; which led to this theme issue on fetal programming. Here we introduce some central issues in the field of programming research. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Vitamin D is obtained from dietary sources and synthesized in the skin during exposure to ultravi... more Vitamin D is obtained from dietary sources and synthesized in the skin during exposure to ultraviolet B radiation in sunlight. During pregnancy, vitamin D is transported from mother to fetus through the placenta in the form of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. There is evidence that vitamin D influences neuronal differentiation, endocrine functions, and fetal brain growth. Animal studies indicate alterations in the offspring brain as a consequence of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy. In humans, maternal vitamin D insufficiency has been linked to impaired child language development. Using data from a prebirth cohort with up to 22 years of follow-up, we examined the association of vitamin D status with proxies of offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes. During 1988-1989, pregnant women were recruited for the DaFO88 cohort (n = 965) in Aarhus, Denmark. Maternal concentrations of 25(OH)D were quantified in serum from week 30 of gestation via the LC-MS/MS method (n = 850). Offspring were followed up through national registries until the age of 22 years. We evaluated the association of the maternal concentration of 25(OH)D with offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes defined as first admission diagnosis or prescription of medication for (1) ADHD, (2) depression, and (3) scholastic achievement based on the mean grade on standardized written examinations in the 9th grade (final exams after 10 years of compulsory school in Denmark). Maternal concentrations of 25(OH)D were higher compared to current levels (median 76 nmol/l; 5th to 95th percentiles 23-152). There was a direct association between maternal vitamin D status and offspring depression (p(trend) = 0.01); for ADHD there was no association. Scholastic achievement was slightly higher for offspring of mothers with a vitamin D status in the range of >50-125 nmol/l, but this nonlinear association was not statistically significant. Our analyses based on biomarker measurement of 25(OH)D from a cohort of 850 pregnant women combined with long-term follow-up showed no support for a beneficial fetal programming effect of vitamin D status with regard to behavioral and affective disorders and scholastic achievement.
High prenatal vitamin D status has been linked to decreased risk of atopic diseases in early chil... more High prenatal vitamin D status has been linked to decreased risk of atopic diseases in early childhood, but whether such relations persist until adulthood has not been explored. We sought to examine the association between maternal 25-hydryxovitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations and outcomes of allergic airway disease and lung function in offspring with 20 to 25 years of follow-up. In a prospective birth cohort with 965 pregnant women enrolled in 1988-1989, maternal 25(OH)D concentrations were quantified in serum from gestational week 30 (n = 850 [88%]). Offspring were followed in nationwide registries with complete follow-up to the age of 25 years (n = 850 [100%]). Additionally, at age 20 years, outcomes of allergic airway disease and lung function were assessed in a subset of offspring by using blood samples and spirometry (n = 410 [45%]) and a questionnaire (n = 641 [70%]). Exposure to a high maternal 25(OH)D concentration (≥125 nmol/L) was associated with an increased risk of asthma hospitalizations in offspring (hazard ratio [HR], 1.81; 95% CI, 0.78-4.16) during 25 years of follow-up compared with the reference group (75-<125 nmol/L). Furthermore, there were lower risks of asthma hospitalizations (HR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.08-1.02) and asthma medication use (HR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.35-0.95) in those exposed to a low maternal 25(OH)D concentration (<50 nmol/L). In a reduced set of participants, we found no associations between maternal 25(OH)D concentrations and offspring allergen-specific IgE, total IgE, and eosinophil cationic protein levels; self-reported doctor's diagnosis of asthma or hay fever; or lung function at 20 years of age. Our study does not provide support for a protective effect of a high maternal 25(OH)D concentration on outcomes of allergic airway disease and lung function at 20 to 25 years of age. In contrast, a high maternal 25(OH)D concentration might be associated with an increased risk of allergic diseases in offspring.
Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy may be a risk factor for child allergic disease. However, less ... more Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy may be a risk factor for child allergic disease. However, less is known about disease risk across different levels of vitamin D. We aimed to examine the relation between a maternal vitamin D prediction score and child allergic disease. A total of 32,456 pregnant women were enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996-2003) and had data on a validated vitamin D prediction score based on 1497 mid-pregnancy plasma 25(OH)D samples. Child allergic disease was assessed at 18 months and at 7 years using questionnaire data and national registry extracts. We used multivariable log-binomial models to quantify risk ratios (RR) and 95% CI. Plasma 25(OH)D was examined in a stability analysis. Median (IQR) vitamin D prediction score was 58.7 (49.2-69.0) nmol/l. In main analysis, there was no association between vitamin D prediction score examined in quintiles or by restricted categories (≥75 nmol/l and <25 nmol/l vs. 25-74.9 nmol/l) and child allergic disease. However, maternal vitamin D prediction score ≥100 nmol/l(vs. 50-79.9 nmol/l) was associated with increased risks of child asthma at 18 months (RR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.80) and asthma by hospital admission (RR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.62). For vitamin D prediction score <25-30 nmol/l, there were increased risks of child asthma at 18 months and by hospital admission and medication prescription at age 7, although these findings were not robust to covariate adjustment. Similar results were found for plasma 25(OH)D. Our study provided little evidence for an association between maternal vitamin D prediction score and child allergic disease for scores ≥75 nmol/l. However, increased risks were observed for vitamin D prediction score ≥100 nmol/l. These associations are hypothesis generating and would need to be replicated in other cohorts.
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Papers by Ekaterina Maslova