Maternal serum retinol, 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D concentrations during pregnancy and peak bone mass and trabecular bone score in adult offspring at 26-year follow-up

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 14; no. 9; p. e0222712
• Main Authors: Balasuriya, Chandima N D, Larose, Tricia L, Mosti, Mats P, Evensen, Kari Anne I, Jacobsen, Geir W, Thorsby, Per M, Stunes, Astrid Kamilla, Syversen, Unni
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 01.09.2019; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D; Absorptiometry; Absorptiometry, Photon; Adult; Adults; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomedical materials; Birth weight; Blood; Bone Density - physiology; Bone mass; Bone mineral density; Cancellous bone; Cord blood; Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; Endocrinology; Female; Fetuses; Follow-Up Studies; Fractures; Health sciences; Hospitals; Humans; Infants; Levels; Male; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Norway; Nursing; Nutrient deficiency; Nutrition; Offspring; Osteoporosis; Osteoporotic Fractures - diagnostic imaging; Osteoporotic Fractures - epidemiology; Osteoporotic Fractures - physiopathology; Physical sciences; Population studies; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - blood; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - diagnostic imaging; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - epidemiology; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects - physiopathology; Prospective Studies; Public health; Regression analysis; Retinene; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Smoking; Spine; Systematic review; Vitamin A; Vitamin A - blood; Vitamin A Deficiency - blood; Vitamin D; Vitamin D - analogs & derivatives; Vitamin D - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - blood; Vitamin deficiency; Vitamins; Womens health; Norway
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222712

Vitamin A and D deficiency is prevalent in pregnant women worldwide. Both vitamins are involved in fetal skeletal development. A positive association between maternal vitamin D levels and offspring bone mineral density (BMD) at adulthood has been observed. The impact of maternal vitamin A status in pregnancy on offspring peak bone mass remains unclear. Forty-one mother-child pairs were recruited from a population-based prospective cohort study in Trondheim, Norway, where pregnant women were followed from gestational week 17. Their term-born infants were followed from birth (1986-88). Regression analyses were performed for vitamin A (retinol), 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D] in maternal serum (gestational weeks 17, 33, 37) and cord blood. Offspring BMD and spine trabecular bone score (TBS), a measure of bone quality, were analyzed by dual x-ray absorptiometry at 26 years. Average levels during pregnancy of retinol, 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D were 1.66 (0.32) μmol/L, 59.0 (20.6) nmol/L, and 251.3 (62.4) pmol/L, respectively. 1,25(OH)2D levels were similar in those with 25(OH)D levels <30 and >75 nmol/L. After adjustment for maternal age, BMI, smoking, and education, and offspring birth weight, maternal serum retinol was positively associated with offspring spine BMD [mean change 30.8 (CI 7.6, 54.0) mg/cm2 per 0.2 μmol/L retinol], and with offspring TBS, although non-significant (p = 0.08). No associations were found between maternal 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D levels and offspring bone parameters. Vitamin levels in cord blood were not associated with offspring BMD or TBS. This is the first study to show an association between maternal vitamin A status and offspring peak bone mass. Our findings may imply increase future risk for osteoporotic fracture in offspring of mothers with suboptimal vitamin A level. No associations were observed between 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D and offspring BMD.