Neonatal vitamin D and the risk of MS

Previous research has shown that vitamin D levels during gestation (the process of development between conception and birth), may determine the risk of MS later in life.

In this study from Denmark, investigators looked at the vitamin-D level at birth of 521 people with MS by linking several Danish health registries. They used matched healthy controls to compare the results.

They observed that lower levels of vitamin D during the neonatal period (from birth to 1 month) was associated with an increased risk of MS later during life. The risk was highest for people with the lowest vitamin D levels during that period.

This new study adds to the increasing evidence of the role of vitamin D in MS, especially during pregnancy. This may indicate that taking vitamin D during pregnancy may reduce the risk of MS for the infant, and requires further investigation.

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