Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences in endocrinology
Endocrine Abstracts (2015) 38 S1.1 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.38.S1.1

SFEBES2015 Symposia Endocrinology meets the environment (3 abstracts)

Later life consequences of maternal vitamin D deficiency – MAVIDOS study

Nicholas Harvey


MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, Southampton, UK.


Low concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the major circulating storage form, are common in the general population. Over recent decades, there has been increasing evidence for a role of vitamin D in disease pathogenesis far beyond the musculoskeletal system. Thus, many studies have investigated whether low levels of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D have a detrimental effect on pregnancy outcomes, for both mother and offspring, and whether supplementation with vitamin D might ameliorate such effects. We comprehensively surveyed this literature in a recent systematic review, funded by NIHR HTA. Suggestive positive associations were observed between maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration/vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy, and offspring birthweight, serum calcium concentrations and bone mass, with some evidence for a protective effect of maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations on pre-eclampsia. Overall, though, there was insufficient evidence to recommend vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy for any single health outcome. Such findings reinforce the need for high quality randomised control trials, such as the UK MAVIDOS Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis study, a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of 1000 IU/day vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) vs placebo from 14 weeks gestation till delivery of the offspring, in which the primary outcome is offspring DXA-measured bone mass, with pregnancy outcomes assessed as secondary endpoints. This study tests, in an interventional setting, earlier observations linking low maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration to reduced offspring bone mass, and gain valuable information regarding the role of vitamin D in pregnancy for other health outcomes. Such a rigorous interventional approach is essential to enable research questions to be adequately answered, such that alterations to public health policy maybe confidently based on robust evidence.

Volume 38

Society for Endocrinology BES 2015

Edinburgh, UK
02 Nov 2015 - 04 Nov 2015

Society for Endocrinology 

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