Pregnant Women Who Take Supplements For Vitamin D Help Protect Their Children Against Rsv Infection

Pregnant Women Who Take Supplements For Vitamin D Help Protect Their Children Against Rsv Infection

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Pregnant women taking supplements for vitamin D may reduce their childrens risk of developing RSV infection, a potentially serious illness sometimes leading to pneumonia or even death, a new Dutch study shows.

The many benefits of taking supplements for vitamin D have been known for years, with physicians agreeing that the nutrient can improve immune system response and help keep inflammation under control. A recent Dutch study, however, has also linked the nutrient to a reduced incidence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus infection, or RSV, in newborns under the age of one. The study was recently published by the Journal of Pediatrics on their website, indicating that the risk of developing RSV is up to six times as high for infants who tested positive for vitamin D deficiency. The infants in the study were tracked for the first year of their lives, when they were most at risk for serious complications due to the virus.

Understanding RSV

Respiratory Syncytial Virus is an infection that generally isnt considered dangerous for older children or adults, but infants who contract the disease often develop complications of pneumonia that can sometimes lead to death. Each year, over 100,000 babies are admitted to hospitals for treatment of serious complications of RSV.

Low levels of vitamin D at birth have now been shown to significantly increase the risk of contracting the infection. The risk of other illnesses may also increase due to low levels of D, due to its central role in immune system function and its anti-inflammatory properties. The Dutch study also indicated that having sufficient amounts of the nutrient lessened the severity of the disease in children who contracted Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

How Pregnant Women Can Improve Vitamin D Levels For Infants In Utero

In the recent study involving over 150 pregnant women in the Netherlands, over half of the mothers werent passing a sufficient amount of D to their unborn children through the umbilical cord. While spending time every day in the sunshine was one way to make sure kids were born with enough of the nutrient, the solution wasnt practical in all cases. In situations where mothers cant get outside daily, there was insufficient sunshine, or the northern climate didnt make it practical to get nutrients from sunlight, supplements for vitamin D were suggested to pregnant women.

RSV Higher In Areas With Less Sunlight

Due to the extreme northern climate, the majority of the residents of the Canadian territory of Nunavut are deficient in D. Interestingly, a recent study by the Canadian Pediatric Society noted that the rate of Respiratory Syncytial Virus hospitalizations was as high as 484 for every 1,000 Inuit infants under the age of six months. Estimates also show that as little as 7% of pregnant Nunavut women take enough supplements for vitamin D to reach sufficient levels to protect their children.

Because D enhances immune system function, its crucial for anyone who is pregnant to get adequate supplementation in order to pass the nutrient on to their unborn children. According to the Dutch study, getting enough D is a major component in protecting the respiratory health of children under the age of one.

About the Author:
IronKids provides specially formulated calcium gummies for kids, vitamin d for kids and childrens vitamins with dha that help your kids to stay healthy and active.



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