High-Dose Vitamin D3 in Pregnancy May Boost Children’s Memory by Age 10

Published in the JAMA Network Open journal, this study suggests that children whose mothers took high-dose vitamin D3 supplements during pregnancy performed better on memory tests at age 10. The researchers found improvements in both verbal memory and visual memory, adding to the growing evidence that pregnancy may be an important period for supporting long-term cognitive development in children.

The study is based on a Danish clinical trial involving more than 600 pregnant women who were randomly assigned to receive either a higher dose of vitamin D3 (2,800 IU per day) or a standard dose. The supplementation was given from the 24^th week of pregnancy until one week after giving birth. When the children reached the age of 10, they completed a series of cognitive tests. Children exposed to the higher vitamin D dose in the womb showed stronger memory performance.

The researchers found that the memory benefits were not explained by the children’s vitamin D levels later in childhood, suggesting that prenatal exposure itself may be particularly important for brain development.

To read about previous research suggesting that higher vitamin D levels in pregnancy may lead to greater childhood IQ scores, see this news story on our website.