News Release

Low intake of milk in pregnancy associated with decreased birth weight

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Canadian Medical Association Journal

Women increasingly self-restrict milk intake during pregnancy, for a variety of reasons. Does this have an effect on their infants' birth weight?

In this study, women whose daily consumption of milk during pregnancy was 1 cup (250 ml) or less consumed less protein and vitamin D and gave birth to smaller babies than mothers who drank more milk. Milk and vitamin D intakes during pregnancy were found to be each associated with infant birth weights, independently of other risk factors.

In a related commentary, Hollis and Wagner note that this study makes a very intriguing and important observation in relation to vitamin D. They believe that vitamin D may not only affect fetal skeletal formation, but also neurodevelopment, immune function and chronic disease susceptibility later in life.

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p.1273 Association of low intake of milk and vitamin D during pregnancy with decreased birth weight
-- C.A. Mannion et al
http://www.cmaj.ca/pressrelease/pg1273.pdf

1287 Nutritional vitamin D status during pregnancy: reasons for concern
-- B.W. Hollis, C.L. Wagner
http://www.cmaj.ca/pressrelease/pg1287.pdf


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