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Updated: Sep 13, 2025
Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
Vitamin D status during pregnancy and child neurocognitive functioning at 4 Years
Núria Voltas1,2,3,4, Esther Cendra-Duarte1,3,5, Josefa Canals1,2,3
1Research Group on Nutrition and Mental Health (NUTRISAM), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona and Reus, Spain.
Insights
Maternal vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is linked to poorer child neurodevelopment, affecting visual-motor skills and executive functions. Ensuring adequate vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels supports optimal cognitive development in early childhood.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Hypovitaminosis D is common during pregnancy and may negatively impact fetal brain development, potentially causing neurocognitive deficits.
- This study examined the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and children's neurocognitive outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prenatal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and children's neurocognitive functioning at age 4.
- To identify specific neurocognitive domains affected by maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- Maternal serum 25(OH)D was measured in the first and third trimesters for 289 mother-child pairs.
- Children's neurocognitive function was assessed at age 4 using WPPSI-IV, NEPSY-II, and BRIEF-P, with parental input.
- Confounding factors including socio-demographics, lifestyle, maternal health, and parental intelligence were controlled.
Main Results:
- Insufficient 25(OH)D throughout pregnancy correlated with reduced Visual-Motor Precision (NEPSY-II).
- Third-trimester vitamin D inadequacy was associated with poorer executive functioning, including Working Memory (WPPSI-IV), metacognitive index, and Inhibition (BRIEF-P).
Conclusions:
- Maintaining adequate maternal 25(OH)D levels during pregnancy is crucial for promoting optimal neurocognitive development in children.
- Findings underscore the need for public health initiatives to monitor and ensure sufficient maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy to support infant neurodevelopment.
Background:
Hypovitaminosis D is prevalent during pregnancy and may affect fetal brain development, leading to neurocognitive issues. This study investigated the association between vitamin D levels during pregnancy and children's neurocognitive functioning in 289 mother-child pairs, controlling for confounding variables.
Methods:
Prenatal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were measured in the first and third trimesters, and offspring underwent a neurocognitive assessment at age 4 using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV), subtests of the Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment-II (NEPSY-II), and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version (BRIEF-P) completed by parents. Socio-demographic data, obstetric information, lifestyle habits, maternal emotional health, and parental intellectual performance were collected.
Results:
The adjusted regression models have shown that insufficient 25(OH)D levels throughout pregnancy were associated with poorer Visual-Motor Precision of the NEPSY-II. In the third trimester, inadequate 25(OH)D levels were associated with poorer executive functioning, as indicated by neuropsychological and behavioural assessments. Specifically, lower scores were observed in Working Memory on the WPPSI-IV, as well as in the metacognitive index and Inhibition on the BRIEF-P.
Conclusion:
Maintaining adequate prenatal 25(OH)D levels may promote optimal neurocognitive functioning in early childhood.
Impact:
Inadequate maternal 25(OH)D concentrations throughout pregnancy are associated with lower Visual-Motor Precision in children, and third-trimester deficiency is linked to poorer executive functioning. This study highlights the importance of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels throughout pregnancy. Findings support the implementation of public health strategies to ensure proper vitamin D intake and the monitoring of maternal serum 25(OH)D levels during pregnancy to promote adequate infant neurodevelopment.
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