Vitamin d prevents complications of pregnancy.

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http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-05/aaop-rrp042110.php

 

" Researchers recommend pregnant women take 4,000 IU vitamin D a day "

 

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – Taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy is

not only safe for mother and baby, but also can prevent preterm labor/births and

infections, according to results of a randomized controlled study to be

presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver,

British Columbia, Canada.

 

In the 1950s and '60s, people were concerned that vitamin D could cause birth

defects, according to Carol L. Wagner, MD, lead author of the study and a

pediatric researcher at Medical University of South Carolina. It now is known

that vitamin D is important for maternal and infant health, including bone

health and immune function.

 

Recent studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is a

serious public health issue.

 

" Diet doesn't provide enough vitamin D, and we don't go in the sun as much as we

need, " Dr. Wagner said.

 

Therefore, she and her colleagues, including Bruce W. Hollis, PhD, who has

worked in the field of vitamin D research for the last 30 years, set out to

determine the optimal dose of vitamin D supplements for pregnant women without

doing harm.

 

Researchers randomized 494 pregnant women at 12-16 weeks' gestation into three

treatment groups. Group one received 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D a

day until delivery; group two received 2,000 IU and group three received 4,000

IU. The women were evaluated monthly to ensure safety.

 

" No adverse events related to vitamin D dosing were found in any of the three

arms of the study, " Dr. Wagner said.

 

Investigators also looked at the effects of vitamin D supplementation on

complications during pregnancy, including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes,

infections, and preterm labor and birth.

 

" The spectacular part of the study was it showed women replete in vitamin D had

lower rates of preterm labor and preterm birth, and lower rates of infection, "

Dr. Wagner said.

 

The greatest effects were seen among women taking 4,000 IU of vitamin D per day.

Therefore, the researchers recommend this daily regimen for all pregnant women.