Prenatal Vitamin C Supplements Linked to Better Emotional Development in Infants: Study

Could a simple vitamin C supplement during pregnancy help protect a baby's emotional development? New research suggests that higher vitamin C intake during pregnancy may help reduce the effects of maternal stress on infant temperament, potentially offering an affordable approach to supporting early brain development.

Published in the journal Developmental Psychology, the study conducted by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) investigated the relationship between prenatal stress, maternal vitamin C intake and emotional development in infants.

Researchers analysed mental health and nutritional data from more than 300 pregnant women, assessing their levels of stress, anxiety and depression using standardised clinical measures.

Trained dietitians also collected information about participants' dietary habits and vitamin C consumption from both food and supplements.

When the infants reached approximately six months of age, caregivers completed questionnaires evaluating their emotional responses, behaviour and temperament.

The findings revealed that women experiencing higher stress levels during pregnancy generally consumed less vitamin C.

Importantly, lower maternal vitamin C intake was associated with a greater likelihood of infants displaying negative emotional responses, including fussiness and distress, at six months of age.

Researchers also found that supplemental vitamin C intake was associated with reduced negative emotionality among infants in the context of prenatal maternal stress.

The researchers suggested that vitamin C's antioxidant and stress-regulating properties may help support the developing fetal brain.

However, the study did not establish that vitamin C supplementation directly prevents emotional difficulties or future mental health disorders in children.

The findings were based on observed associations and caregiver-reported infant behaviour, rather than evidence from a randomised supplementation trial.

The study highlights the potential importance of vitamin C intake during pregnancy, while calling for further research to determine whether supplementation can improve long-term emotional and behavioural outcomes in children.

REFERENCE: Wood, E. K., et al. (2026). Prenatal vitamin C supplementation mediates the association between prenatal distress and infant negative affect: A prospective cohort study. Developmental Psychology. DOI: 10.1037/dev0002263