Maternal vitamin D status: effect on milk vitamin D content and vitamin D status of breastfeeding infants.

There are increasing reports of rickets and vitamin D deficiency worldwide. Breastfeeding without adequate sunlight exposure and vitamin D supplementation are the major risk factors. In view of the drive to promote and increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding, the relationship among maternal vitamin D status, vitamin D concentration of human milk, and hence vitamin D status of breastfeeding infants deserves reassessment.

Bone in the pregnant mother and newborn at birth.

Background: Changes in maternal bone during pregnancy may affect fetal bone mineralization.

Issues: The biphasic changes in maternal bone histology (temporary loss of cancellous bone in early pregnancy restored by term gestation) are consistent with corresponding blood biochemistry changes; increased bone resorption markers in the first trimester, while bone formation markers increased in the last trimester. Postpartum bone mineral density (BMD) by DEXA is increased at cortical bone and decreased at trabecular bone sites compared with prepregnancy values.

Longer term effects of early dietary cholesterol level on synthesis and circulating cholesterol concentrations in human infants.

De novo endogenous cholesterol synthesis is an integral component of developing human infant adaptive mechanisms that regulate cholesterol homeostasis. Smaller central pools of cholesterol later in life may contribute to reduced low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations in the plasma and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Early infant adaptive mechanisms may theoretically result in altered central pools of cholesterol in later life.