Croup is a viral chest infection that affects young children. It causes a characteristic “barking” cough, hoarse voice and difficulty breathing. Croup is common and usually mild, but some children will need hospital care and breathing support. The study included 736 pregnant women cared for by COPSAC since 2010. The women were divided into four groups. One group was given a high-dose vitamin D supplement (2800 international units per day) and fish oil containing long-chain n-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (2.4 grams), the second group received high-dose vitamin D and olive oil, the third group were given a standard dose of vitamin D (400 international units per day) and fish oil, and these final groups were given a standard dose of vitamin D and olive oil. All women took the supplements daily from the 24th week of their pregnancy until one week after their babies were born. Neither the women nor the researchers knew which supplements they were taking until the end of the study. The researchers followed the children until they were three years old, and anyone suspected of having croup was diagnosed by a doctor or through their medical records. There were a total of 97 cases of croup among children. Overall, children whose mothers received the fish oil had an 11 percent risk of croup, compared with 17 percent in children whose mothers received olive oil (a 38 percent reduction). Children whose mothers took a high dose of vitamin D had an 11 percent risk of croup, compared with an 18 percent risk in those whose mothers received the standard dose of vitamin D (a 40 percent reduction). Dr Brustad said: ‘Our findings suggest that vitamin D and fish oil could be beneficial against childhood croup at high enough doses. These are relatively inexpensive supplements meaning this could be a very cost-effective approach to improving the health of young children. “We are not sure of the exact mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of vitamin D and fish oil, but they may stimulate the immune system to help babies and young children clear infections more effectively.” The research team working at COPSAC has already investigated other potential benefits of vitamin D and fish oil during pregnancy, including its effects on bone development, the central nervous system, body composition and asthma. They will continue to follow the children in the study and plan to investigate why some children are more prone to childhood infections than others. Professor Rory Morty from the University of Heidelberg is chair of the European Respiratory Society’s lung and airway developmental biology group and was not involved in the research. She said: “We know that lung health in babies and young children can be affected during pregnancy. For example, babies whose mothers smoke tend to have worse lung health. We are increasingly seeing that elements of the mother’s diet can also help or hinder the development of the baby’s lungs. “This research shows that taking vitamin D and fish oil supplements during pregnancy could have benefits for babies and young children. We would like to see further research in this area to support these findings, as this could lead to new recommendations for supplementation during pregnancy. Pregnant women should always talk to their doctor before taking supplements.” Top Showsha video Read all the Latest Lifestyle News and Breaking news here
