The Influence of Maternal Levels of Vitamin D and Adiponectin on Anthropometrical Measures and Bone Health in Offspring

Abstract

Background: From the conception onward, certain parameters associated with maternal health may affect foetal body composition, growth and bone mineral content. The objective of the study was to determine the association between maternal vitamin D and adiponectin status with the anthropometrical measures of newborns, and bone health status measured by Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) at birth. Methods: Circulating 25OHD and adiponectin concentration were measured in 73 pregnant women. Correlations with the anthropometrical measures and bone health status in their infants were studied. Bone health was evaluated using QUS with the measurements of speed of sound (SOS, in m/s) and Z score on the right tibia. Results: There was no significant association between maternal 25OHD and newborn’s anthropometrical measures at birth (weight p=0.35, length p=0.59 and head circumference p=0.47). There was a significant negative correlation between a maternal serum adiponectin and a) weight of infants at birth (R= -0.37, p=0.002); b) birth length (R= -0.31, p=0.008) and c) head circumference (R= -0.29, p=0.014). There was no significant correlation between maternal 25OHD blood levels during pregnancy and SOS in newborns (p=0.48). Additionally, a correlation between maternal adiponectin concentration during pregnancy and SOS in newborns was not significant (p=0.82). Conclusion: Although a high prevalence of low 25OHD level among pregnant women was found, maternal vitamin D status did not influence growth and bone health of their offspring at birth. Maternal adiponectin levels in plasma showed an inverse relationship with anthropometrical measures of infants at birth, while no correlation with the newborn’s bone health was found.

A systematic review of vitamin D status and dietary intake in various Slovenian populations

“…The review covered two research clusters of healthy pregnant women. One included data collected in the ‘My Milk’ research project (‘The role of human milk in the development of breastfed child’s intestinal microbiota’) ( 17 , 31 , 32 ). We only included publications with a full study sample ( 17 ), as two references refer to a smaller subsample size ( 31 , 32 ).…”

Maternal Diet, Nutritional Status, and Birth-Related Factors Influencing Offspring’s Bone Mineral Density: A Narrative Review of Observational, Cohort, and Randomized Controlled Trials

“…One study reported a negative association with offspring total BMD (with no difference in lumbar BMD) [ 17 ]. Six studies found no association between maternal vitamin D status and bone parameters from the neonatal period even to the age of 26 years [ 23 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. In the four remaining studies, positive associations were found between maternal vitamin D status and offspring BMD [ 18 , 40 ], with sex-specific association in one study [ 41 ], as well as neonatal bone SOS [ 42 ].…”

“…In all of the included studies on maternal vitamin D status, authors assessed 25(OH)D concentrations [ 17 , 18 , 23 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 ]. In addition, in one study, 1,25(OH) 2 D concentrations were also assessed and its levels were similar across different levels of 25(OH)D [ 23 ].…”

“…Moreover vitamin D is essential for proper placental calcium transport, so its insufficient levels may affect the trajectory of bone mineral accrual in intrauterine environments [ 18 ]. However, since some of the studies did not show an association between maternal vitamin D status and children’s bone outcomes [ 23 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ], there may be compensatory mechanisms that enable proper skeletal growth in the children of mothers with vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy [ 23 , 38 ].…”

“…In total, the results of 49 studies were summarized in the presented review ( Table S3 ). Maternal vitamin D status and birth anthropometry were assessed in the most studies, 11 [ 17 , 18 , 23 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 ] and 15 [ 10 , 23 , 24 , 31 , 42 , 53 , 54 , 56 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 70 , 71 , 72 ], respectively. However, factors that seem to be the most relevant in terms of BMD are dietary intake, other than vitamin D nutrients status, and gestational age, as the plurality of the studies showed positive associations.…”