A new study shows that at least one of the vitamins a pregnant woman takes could have long-term benefits for her child.

Taking vitamin D during pregnancy could lead to a long-lasting reduction in bone fractures in children, according to the study, published in this week's issue of the journal The Lancet.

In the nine-year study that included nearly 200 children born in 1991 and 1992, researchers at Southampton General Hospital in the United Kingdom found that those whose mothers were lacking in vitamin D during pregnancy grew up to have weaker bones.

The researchers said taking supplements of vitamin D, particularly during winter pregnancies when sunlight levels are low, should help children's bones grow stronger.