Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2020 Oct;32(5):316-321.
doi: 10.1097/GCO.0000000000000641.

Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy: an overview

Faustino R Pérez-López  1 , Stefan Pilz  2 , Peter Chedraui  3   4
Affiliations
Review

Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy: an overview

Faustino R Pérez-López et al. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Examine recent evidence of randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses regarding the effect of maternal vitamin D status and supplementation over obstetrical and offspring outcomes.

Recent findings: Maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin [25(OH)D] progressively declines during pregnancy because of fetal physiological demands and adjustments. Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy in women with low vitamin D status may improve fetal growth and reduce the risks for small-for-gestational-age, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and gestational diabetes. Mothers with sufficient vitamin D levels have offsprings with less enamel defects and less attention deficit and hyperactive disorders and autism. All pregnant women should be supplemented with 600 IU/day of vitamin D3. We discuss evidence indicating that higher vitamin D doses (1000-4000 IU/day) may be convenient to achieve better maternal and infant outcomes. Low maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy may be associated in infants with a higher risk for lower bone mineral content, enamel defects and attention deficit hyperactive disorder.

Summary: Recent evidence from vitamin D intervention studies and meta-analyses of a large number of studies support vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy to improve maternal, fetal and, immediate and later offspring health.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Pilz S, Zittermann A, Obeid R, et al. The role of vitamin D in fertility and during pregnancy and lactation: a review of clinical data. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2018; 15 (pii):E2241.
    1. Fernández-Alonso AM, Dionis-Sánchez EC, Chedraui P, et al. Spanish Vitamin D and Women's Health Research Group. First-trimester maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 status and pregnancy outcome. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2012; 116:69.
    1. Martínez-Domínguez SJ, Tajada M, Chedraui P, Pérez-López FR. Systematic review and meta-analysis of Spanish studies regarding the association between maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and perinatal outcomes. Gynecol Endocrinol 2018; 34:987994.
    1. Tous M, Villalobos M, Iglesias L, et al. Vitamin D status during pregnancy and offspring outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Eur J Clin Nutr 2020; 74:3653.
    1. Bi WG, Nuyt AM, Weiler H, et al. Association between vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and offspring growth, morbidity, and mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr 2018; 172:635645.

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources