New Delhi: Mothers with lower levels of vitamin C intake during pregnancy were more likely to have infants who showed negative emotions, such as fussiness and distress, at six months of age, which can be an early indicator for risk of future mental health disorders, new research shows.
However, supplemental vitamin C intake during pregnancy was a significant mediator for negative emotions in infants, suggesting it may provide significant protective benefits to the fetal environment and the process in which a baby's brain develops, senior author Elinor Sullivan, professor of psychiatry and behavioural neuroscience in the Oregon Health and Science University's school of medicine, said.
"The most encouraging takeaway here is that nutrition is relatively modifiable, especially when people have adequate resources and support. Vitamin C supplements are inexpensive, easy to access and something patients can start incorporating immediately and consistently into their daily lives," Sullivan said.
"This seemingly small change could make a huge impact for children and families down the line," Sullivan said.
Researchers said maternal prenatal stress can significantly impact diet and nutrition, often contributing to a lack of key nutrients in the mother, which can then influence the infant's socioemotional development, including how they learn to secure bonds and understand and manage their emotions.
Given its anti-oxidative and stress-regulating properties, the researchers hypothesised that supplemental vitamin C, taken daily as a pill, could potentially reduce that risk.
The study, published in the journal Developmental Psychology, collected and analysed mental health and nutrition data from over 300 pregnant women, including measuring vitamin C intake through food sources and supplements.
Maternal mental health was assessed using standardised clinical measures of depression, anxiety and stress. Trained dietitians repeatedly facilitated calls with the participants to capture data on dietary consumption and determine total vitamin C intake.
When the participants' infants were about six months old, caregivers completed a questionnaire to explore infant behavioural characteristics and temperament in the home environment.
"Higher prenatal maternal distress predicted higher infant NA (negative affect) at six months," the authors wrote.
"... prenatal vitamin C supplementation, but not dietary vitamin C intake, mediated the association between maternal prenatal distress and infant NA," they said.
"As such, lower vitamin C intake during pregnancy may influence foetal neurodevelopment via altering the intrauterine environment. These findings point to prenatal vitamin C supplementation's potential as a modifiable and scalable intervention to promote healthy early socioemotional development," the team wrote.
Lead author Elizabeth Wood, assistant professor of psychiatry in the Oregon Health and Science University's school of medicine, said, "A strong body of research shows that the intrauterine environment shapes cardiometabolic health. We're now learning how it also influences brain development and infant behavioural health."
"Our top priority is the health of the pregnant woman and her baby. If there are evidence-based recommendations we can make to support patients during pregnancy and promote healthy brain development in their babies, that's something we want to pursue and make widely accessible," Wood said.
This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.