Taking fish oil and vitamin D during pregnancy can lower risk of this

By Alice Clifford via SWNS

Taking fish oil and vitamin D supplements during pregnancy can lower the risk of croup in babies and young children, according to a new study.

Croup is a common viral chest infection that affects young children. Symptoms include a hoarse voice, difficulty breathing and a barking cough.

The infection is often mild, but occasionally it can become serious, with some children needing hospital treatment and breathing support.

There is currently no preventive treatment for this infection, apart from frequent hand washing.

Dr. Nicklas Brustad, a clinician and postdoctoral researcher working on the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood at Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, who presented the study, said: “There is currently no vaccine against the pathogen that causes this disease.

“Therefore, other preventive strategies are needed, and measures initiated during pregnancy might be important since croup occurs in babies and young children.

“For such purpose, there is evidence that both vitamin D and fish oil could have an influence on the immune system.”

The research is the first large study of its kind to investigate the effects of vitamin D and fish oil on croup.

The study included 736 pregnant women who were divided into four groups.

One group was given high-dose vitamin D supplements and fish oil, while the second was given high-dose vitamin D supplements and olive oil.

The third group had a standard-dose of vitamin D and fish oil, and the final group was given standard-dose vitamin D and olive oil.

The women were not told which dosage they were receiving.

Each woman took the supplements everyday, starting on their 24th week of pregnancy until one week after the baby was born.

After the babies were born, researchers monitored them until they were three years old. Out of all the children, there were 97 cases of croup.

The children whose mothers took fish oil had an 11 percent risk of croup, while those who took olive oil had a 17 percent risk.

Similarly, those whose mothers were given a high-dose of vitamin D had an 11 percent risk of their child getting the infection, compared to an 18 percent risk in those whose mothers took the standard-dose of vitamin D.

Dr. Brustad said: “Our findings suggest that vitamin D and fish oil could be beneficial against childhood croup in sufficiently high doses.

“We are not sure of the exact mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of vitamin D and fish oil, but it could be that they can stimulate the immune system to help babies and young children clear infections more effectively.”

This study gives women a cheap way to prevent their child suffering from the infection.

Dr. Brustad added: “These are relatively cheap supplements, meaning that this could be a very cost-effective approach to improving young children’s health.”

The research team plans to continue monitoring the children and further learn how these supplements can prevent illness, and investigate why some children are more prone to infections.

This study, presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Barcelona, Spain, is a step forward in the already established research into child health.

Dr. Rory Morty, from the University of Heidelberg, and the chair of the European Respiratory Society’s Lung and Airway Developmental Biology Group, said: “We know that lung health in babies and young children can be influenced during pregnancy.

“For example, babies whose mothers smoke tend to have worse lung health.

“We are increasingly seeing that elements of a mother’s diet can also help or hinder a baby’s lung development.”

On this latest research, Dr. Morty said: “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.”

He added: “Pregnant women should always speak to their doctor before taking supplements.”