Maternal vitamin D and offspring fracture risk: the Vitamin D in Pregnancy study

Mia A Percival; Julie A Pasco; Sarah M Hosking; Lana J Williams; Kara L Holloway-Kew; John D Wark; Natalie K Hyde

doi:10.1007/s11657-021-01023-3

Maternal vitamin D and offspring fracture risk: the Vitamin D in Pregnancy study

Arch Osteoporos. 2021 Oct 27;16(1):159. doi: 10.1007/s11657-021-01023-3.

Authors

Mia A Percival¹, Julie A Pasco^{2

3

4

5}, Sarah M Hosking², Lana J Williams², Kara L Holloway-Kew², John D Wark^{6

7

8}, Natalie K Hyde²

Affiliations

¹ IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia. miaaimeepercival@gmail.com.
² IMPACT, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.
³ Barwon Health, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.
⁴ Department of Medicine-Western Health, The University of Melbourne, St Albans, VIC, 3021, Australia.
⁵ Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Prahran, VIC, 3181, Australia.
⁶ Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia.
⁷ Bone and Mineral Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia.
⁸ Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia.

PMID: 34705148
DOI: 10.1007/s11657-021-01023-3

Abstract

Vitamin D is important for bone health and strength. Previous studies report 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) exposure during pregnancy may impact offspring bone health later in life. In this study, maternal 25(OH)D at recruitment was associated with a lower fracture risk in boys and an increased fracture risk in girls at 28-32 weeks gestation.

Purpose: Maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in pregnancy has been shown to be associated with offspring bone measures in some studies, but few have examined fracture risk. We aimed to determine associations between maternal vitamin D status and offspring fracture risk.

Methods: In total, 475 mother-child pairs participating in the Vitamin D in Pregnancy study in southeastern Australia were recruited. Maternal serum samples were taken at recruitment (< 16 weeks gestation) and/or 28-32 weeks gestation and analysed for 25(OH)D. Incident fractures in children were ascertained from date of birth (2002-2004) until December 31, 2012. Cox proportional hazard models included maternal age at recruitment, offspring sex, birth weight, gestation length and season of vitamin D sample.

Results: Complete follow-up data were available for 400 children (median age = 9.5 years). There were 68 (17.0%) children who sustained at least one fracture. Higher maternal 25(OH)D (per 10 nmol/L) in early gestation was weakly associated with a decreased fracture risk in boys (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.68, 0.99; p = 0.048) but not girls (HR 1.10; 95% CI 0.98, 1.25; p = 0.11). At late gestation, higher maternal 25(OH)D was associated with increased fracture risk in girls (HR 1.11; 95% CI 1.01, 1.23; p = 0.038) but not boys (HR 0.94; 95% CI 0.80, 1.10; p = 0.42). No statistically significant relationships were detected in analyses investigating 25(OH)D as a categorical variable.

Conclusion: There is some evidence that higher maternal 25(OH)D at recruitment was associated with lower fracture risk in boys, while higher maternal 25(OH)D at 28-32 weeks gestation was associated with an increased fracture risk in girls.

Keywords: 25(OH)D; Bone; Child; Fracture; Pregnancy; Vitamin D.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Child
Female
Fractures, Bone* / epidemiology
Humans
Male
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications* / epidemiology
Vitamin D
Vitamin D Deficiency* / epidemiology
Vitamins

Substances

Vitamins
Vitamin D