or death in their first month and have a higher risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes, later in life. ???This is one of the largest studies to examine a mother???s vitamin D levels and their relationship with birth weights,??? said senior author Lisa M. Bodnar, Ph.D., M.P.H., R.D., assistant professor in Pitt Public Health???s Department of Epidemiology.