For more than a year now, I have been discussing the importance of the “sunshine vitamin” and how Vitamin D during pregnancy has effects on such things as rates of caesarean section and the health of the unborn baby’s future teeth.

Now, in the latest bit of research, mothers who were pregnant with babies who were born between June and October had children who, when studied at the age of 9 years, were taller and had wider bones than those born in the darker months.

The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) –  which is also known as Children of the 90’s – is a long-term health research project based at the University of Bristol, England. All of the more than 14,000 Children of the 90’s were born during 1991 and 1992, and their health and development have been followed in great detail ever since.

Originally, all of the ALSPAC families lived in England around Bristol and Bath. Now, some live as far away as Kenya, Brazil and Australia, but they remain in the study.

The families have provided answers about a wide range of health issues such as the benefits of eating fish during pregnancy, peanut allergy, eczema, and childhood ear infections. You can find a list of research findings here.

Based on this latest study, and consistent with my previous posts, pregnant women and children would do well to go outside in the sun, without sunscreens for 15 minutes a day.

Jon Tobias of Bristol University, and a lead researcher on the ALSPAC project, said “Wider bones are thought to be stronger and less prone to breaking as a result of osteoporosis inlater life, so anything that affects early bone development is significant. Pregnant women might consider talking to their doctor about taking Vitamin D supplement, particularly if their babies are due between November and May, when sunlight levels are low.”