The study, which was published in the journal Molecular
Psychiatry, discovered that pregnant women who had low vitamin D levels
when they were 20 weeks pregnant were more likely to have a child who displayed
autistic traits by the age of 6. For the study, researchers analyzed
approximately 4,200 blood samples from pregnant women and their children in the
Netherlands.
Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones, and people often
get it from being exposed to the sun. However, it’s also possible to get doses
of the vitamin from some foods and vitamin supplements.
Autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are terms for a
group of disorders of brain development, according to the autism awareness
organization Autism Speaks.
The disorders are characterized by “difficulties in social interaction, verbal
and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviors.” ASD may be linked to “intellectual
disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention, and physical
health issues such as sleep and gastrointestinal issues,” the organization
says.
According to the Centres for disease control and
prevention, about one in 68 children has the disorder, and it’s 4.5 times
more common in boys than girls.
Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is fairly common in
pregnant women, women’s health expert Jennifer Wider says. According to data
from the American Pregnancy Association, between 40 and 60 percent of the
entire U.S. population is vitamin D deficient, and those numbers include
pregnant women. While prenatal vitamins include vitamin D, Wider notes
that average versions contain about 400 IU of the vitamin, which may not be
enough. “After this study and others like it, doctors will likely recommend supplementation,”
she says.
Other research has shown that vitamin D plays a role in
the development of the brain and nervous system, Wider notes, adding that it
“makes sense” that low vitamin D may be linked with neurodevelopmental
disorders such as autism. (In fact, previous research by John McGrath, MD, PhD,
who led this study, found a link between low vitamin D levels in newborns and
an increased risk of schizophrenia.)
'Some foods, such as eggs, salmon, and
sardines, contain vitamin D,' says New York-based dietitian and
nutritionist Jessica Cording. “Mushrooms are one of the few plant sources, but
they don’t provide a lot,” she adds. Most vitamin D is consumed through vitamin
D-fortified foods, such as milk.
Wider expects that more doctors will start recommending
vitamin D supplements to pregnant women as a result of these findings. However,
if you’re pregnant and concerned about how your vitamin D level may impact
your baby, talk to your doctor.
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