Summary: 

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are the most common cause of hospitalisation and preventable death among Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory (NT).

Vitamin D is essential for optimal immune function. Recently, we showed that the vitamin D levels of Aboriginal mothers falls during pregnancy such that 80% of NT Aboriginal infants are born with suboptimal vitamin D levels. Importantly, we found that having low vitamin D levels at birth was linked to an increased risk of childhood ARI.

The D-Kids clinical trial aims to determine whether weekly doses of vitamin D supplementation of during pregnancy (28-34 weeks gestation to birth) and infancy (from birth until age 4 months) can reduce the number of ARIs in the infants’ first year of life .

You can join the D-Kids study if you are:

  • Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
  • Pregnant
  •  Aged 17-40 years 
  • A resident of a participating community

What does the study involve?

  • Taking the study medicine every week
  • We will visit you 5 times 
  • Visits will be conducted at hospitals (Royal Darwin mostly), local health clinics or in the home.
  • We will collect information from your medical records to monitor your health and to count your baby’s chest infections.
  • We will collect some samples (blood, nose swabs, saliva, poo) to determine how vitamin D works. 

 Your information will always be kept private.
 

Chief Investigator: 
Project Manager: 
  • Jennifer Goodall
Contact information: 
  • dkids@menzies.edu.au
Project dates:
  • End date December 2024

Funders: 
NHMRC 1138604

Collaborators:
Royal Darwin Hospital and Qld Pathology
NHMRC Clinical Trials Research Centre
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Sydney University
University of Queensland