Moms-to-be have been advised for years to take prenatal vitamins, which are specially formulated to make up for any nutritional deficiencies in their diet during pregnancy. Of the numerous vitamins and minerals contained in the supplements, folic acid, iron and calcium content are considered to be top priority for the health of mother and child. A new study now suggests that vitamin D may need to be given a similar high billing, as pregnant women who have low levels of the “sunshine vitamin” appear to be at increased risk for preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia is a condition marked by high blood pressure and a high level of protein in the urine, and can cause swelling in the feet, legs and hands. The disorder, which only affects pregnant women and generally appears during the second half of pregnancy, also may lead to seizures, kidney failure or stroke. It slows the growth of the fetus, can cause early delivery and can be fatal for the mother and the infant. The cause is unknown and there is no treatment, except to manage the symptoms.
In the new study, published in the September issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers measured vitamin D levels in 55 pregnant women who developed preeclampsia and in 219 who did not. The average 25-hydroxyvitamin D level for women who developed preeclampsia was 45.4 nmol/L compared with 53.1 nmol/L in the control group—a significant difference.
Moreover, the authors found that the risk of preeclampsia rose with decreasing levels of vitamin D in early pregnancy.
"Women who developed preeclampsia had vitamin D concentrations that were significantly lower early in pregnancy compared to women whose pregnancies were normal," says Lisa M. Bodnar, M.D., the study’s lead author from the University of Pittsburgh. "Even though vitamin D deficiency was common in both groups, the deficiency was more prevalent among those who went on to develop preeclampsia."
According to the study report, vitamin D has been shown to influence pathways involved in the development of preeclampsia, yet the vitamin D/preeclampsia relation has not been studied.
If these findings are verified in other studies, the investigators say that vitamin D supplementation in early pregnancy may need to be explored as a safe and effective means of preventing preeclampsia and promoting neonatal well-being.
Produced naturally by the body following exposure to sunlight, vitamin D also can be ingested through fortified products like milk, soy milk and cereal grains or found in wild salmon, Atlantic mackerel, sardines and shrimp.
Source: Reuters
