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Published on: August 7, 2017
Association between prenatal vitamin D supplementation and respiratory diseases in children: a systematic review and
Jieru Shen1, Zhonghui Zhou1, Fao Feng2
1Department of Respiratory, Ningbo Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, No.819, Liyuan North Road, Haishu District, Ningbo, 315010, China.
Insights
Maternal vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy does not significantly impact respiratory or allergy-related outcomes in children. This meta-analysis found no evidence of benefit for conditions like asthma, wheezing, or eczema.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy is crucial for offspring well-being, potentially influencing immunomodulation and respiratory health.
- Existing evidence on vitamin D's effects on respiratory and allergy-related outcomes in children is conflicting.
- A comprehensive synthesis of data is needed to clarify the role of prenatal vitamin D supplementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy.
- To evaluate the impact of prenatal vitamin D supplementation on respiratory and allergy-related outcomes in children.
- To provide a clear direction based on synthesized evidence regarding vitamin D's role in child respiratory and allergic health.
Main Methods:
- Conducted systematic searches across major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) until August 2025.
- Included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy and child outcomes.
- Evaluated evidence quality using the GRADE method and study quality using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool.
Main Results:
- Seven RCTs were included in the analysis.
- Prenatal vitamin D supplementation showed no significant effect on respiratory outcomes, including respiratory tract infections (RTI), asthma, and wheezing.
- No significant association was found between maternal vitamin D supplementation and eczema, allergic conditions, or immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in children.
Conclusions:
- Maternal vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy does not demonstrate a significant impact on respiratory or allergy-related outcomes in children.
- The current evidence suggests no benefit of prenatal vitamin D supplementation for preventing common respiratory and allergic conditions in offspring.
- Further research may be warranted to explore specific subgroups or alternative vitamin D supplementation strategies.
Background:
Immunomodulation and respiratory health have a critical role in the offspring well-being. Maternal status of vitamin D during pregnancy seems to have immunomodulatory and respiratory protective effects in children. However, evidence regarding respiratory and allergy-related outcomes remains conflicting. Therefore, this study aimed to synthesize the available data in this regard to provide a firm direction.
Methods:
Comprehensive searches were made in the databases of PubMed, Scopus, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library until August 2025. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effects of maternal intake of vitamin D during pregnancy on outcomes in children with respiratory and allergy conditions. Also, the quality of evidence was evaluated using GRADE method and the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to evaluate study quality.
Results:
Seven RCTs were included. Prenatal supplementation of vitamin D did not affect respiratory outcomes in the children who followed: RTI (RR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.99, 1.09; P = 0.122, I2 = 0.0%), asthma (RR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.67, 1.31; P = 0.701, I2 = 64.9%), and wheezing (RR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.62, 1.09; P = 0.176, I2 = 0.0%). Similarly, vitamin D supplementation in pregnant women was associated with non-significant effects on eczema (RR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.83, 1.10; P = 0.524, I2 = 0.0%), allergic condition (RR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.85, 1.06; P = 0.324, I2 = 0.0%), and immunoglobulin E (IgE) (RR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.73, 1.21; P = 0.639, I2 = 52.6%) in children.
Conclusion:
Overall, the vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy has no significant effect on respiratory and allergy-related outcomes in children.
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