title: Future health implications of prenatal and early-life vitamin D status.
abstract: Current or recent low vitamin D status (or proxy measures such as dietary intake or ambient ultraviolet radiation) is linked to several chronic diseases, including osteoporosis, cancers, and cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. Low prenatal vitamin D status may also increase susceptibility to such diseases in later life via specific target organ effects and/or through changes to the developing immune system. Maternal vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy could be an important public health measure to decrease risk of a range of chronic diseases, but further research is required to clarify beneficial and adverse effects of high prenatal vitamin D.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. robyn.lucas@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Robyn M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Anne-Louise
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ponsonby
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pasco
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Morley
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D