Heavier babies are more likely to be born to moms who drink milk during pregnancy, according to a Canadian study.(file photo)

    BEIJING, April 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Pregnant women need to drink milk during pregnancy to produce heavier babies, a Canadian study reported in the April 25 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

    Researchers found that babies born to mothers who drank milk were slightly heavier than those born to those who avoided drinking milk during pregnancy.

    Researchers confirmed that Vitamin D and milk consumption were associated with the birth weight. Drinking each additional cup of milk could increase 41 grams in birth weight whereas each additional microgram of vitamin D was associated with an increase of 11 grams in body weight.

    Vitamin D is known to offer many health benefits to babies. Studies have found mothers who got enough vitamin D tended to have babies with stronger bone.

    The study, however, did not say whether heavier babies are healthier. But it did say that it is a sign of something bad for the lowered weight babies.

    Many pregnant women now avoid drinking milk during pregnancy in an attempt to avoid lactose intolerance, stomach discomfort, and other possible implications to the babies such as diabetes and allergies.

    The study, funded by the Dairy Farmers of Canada ad FRSQ, was meant to find some benefits associated with mother's drinking milk during pregnancy.

    "None of these reasons is strong enough to make the recommendation that pregnant women should avoid milk, except for the small number of women clearly diagnosed with problems," said Kristine Koski, coauthor of the study at McGill University in Montreal. 

    Koski and her research team surveyed 279 healthy mothers aged from 19 to 45 and newborns, among whom 207 mothers drank milk during pregnancy compared to 72 who did not. Women who drank less than one cup (250 ml) were considered as non-milk drinking mothers

    The participants were surveyed for their dietary habits including drinking milk and use of vitamin D supplements. Blood samples were collected for vitamin D measurements in the mothers. 

   Babies born to women who drank milk during pregnancy were slightly but statistically insignificant heavier than those born to mothers who avoid drinking milk. 

    The authors suggested that pregnant women should drink milk during pregnancy to have heavier babies. Enditem

    (Agencies)