Supplementation with fish oil and vitamin D during pregnancy may reduce the risk of croup in infants and young children

Babies and children under three are less likely to develop croup if mothers take fish oil and vitamin D supplements during pregnancy, according to new results from a clinical trial

Croup is a viral chest infection that affects young children

The study was presented by Dr.

He told Congress: "There is currently no vaccine against the pathogen that causes this disease

The study included 736 pregnant women who started COPSAC care in 2010

The researchers monitored the children until they were three years old, and any child suspected of having croup was diagnosed by a doctor or their medical records

Overall, children whose mothers took fish oil had an 11% risk of developing croup, compared with 17% (38% reduction) for children whose mothers took olive oil

 "Our findings suggest that high enough doses of vitamin D and fish oil are beneficial for children with croup," said Dr.

"We're not sure about the exact mechanism behind the beneficial effects of vitamin D and fish oil, but it may be that they stimulate the immune system and help infants and young children clear infections more efficiently

The COPSAC research team has looked at other potential benefits of vitamin D and fish oil during pregnancy, including effects on bone development, the central nervous system, body composition and asthma

Professor Rory Morty, from Heidelberg University, chairs the European Respiratory Society's Group on Developmental Biology of the Lung and Airways, but was not involved in the study

"This study shows the benefits of taking vitamin D and fish oil supplements during pregnancy for infants and young children