Jurnal Gizi Klinik Indonesia
Vol 22, No 4 (2026): April

The effect of vitamin D supplementation in third-trimester pregnant women on early infant growth: an experimental study

Zaenudin Zaenudin (Department of Midwifery, Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan Cianjur, West Java / Department of Nursing, Akademi Keperawatan Al-Ikhlas, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia)
Suci Saftari Apriani (Department of Midwifery, Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia)
Soffa Abdillah (Department of Midwifery, Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Apr 2026

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women remains a public health concern and may contribute to impaired intrauterine growth and an increased risk of stunting in early life. However, evidence regarding the effect of vitamin D supplementation on early infant growth indicators remains limited, particularly in primary healthcare settings.Objective: This study aimed to analyze the association between vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and early infant growth indicators.Methods: A total of 95 participants were included in the analysis, consisting of 47 pregnant women in the intervention group and 48 in the control group. Baseline assessments included demographic characteristics, third-trimester maternal body mass index, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels. Early infant growth parameters included birth weight, birth length, and head circumference at birth. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann–Whitney test and multiple linear regression.Results: Vitamin D deficiency was identified in 87.37% of pregnant women. Infants in the intervention group had higher mean birth weight (3.22 ± 0.31 kg vs 2.75 ± 0.47 kg), birth length (50.55 ± 1.72 cm vs 48.15 ± 1.68 cm), and head circumference (32.65 ± 1.22 cm vs 29.70 ± 1.72 cm) compared with the control group (all p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that birth length and head circumference were significantly associated with infant growth outcomes, with head circumference emerging as the most dominant predictor (β = 0.612). In contrast, birth weight was not significantly associated with the outcome after adjustment for other variables.Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy was associated with improved linear growth and larger head circumference at birth, highlighting the importance of maternal vitamin D status in supporting optimal infant growth from the prenatal period.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jgki

Publisher

Subject

Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology Medicine & Pharmacology Nursing Public Health

Description

Jurnal Gizi Klinik Indonesia merupakan jurnal ilmiah nasional terakreditasi yang memuat artikel penelitian (research article) di bidang gizi dan kesehatan, yang terkait aspek gizi klinis, gizi masyarakat, gizi olahraga, gizi molekular, biokimia gizi, pangan fungsional, serta pelayanan dan manajemen ...