Photo credit: Leo Reynolds
Most prenatal vitamins have only 200 – 400 IUs of vitamin D, though new research is showing that more vitamin D can have very important benefits. In a recent study, 500 women who were 12 or more weeks pregnant took either 400, 2,000 or 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily. In the group of women taking 4,000 IU there was a decreased incidence of early labor, premature birth, and infection. I’ve written about the link between infection, premature labor, and vitamin D previously, in Tips for a Holistic Pregnancy and Birth:
The latest research on Vitamin D tells us that this essential nutrient is protective of just about everything. Seriously. Everything. Unfortunately, we’re almost all deficient in this wonder vitamin, a deficiency that may begin in utero. Prenatal vitamin D deficiency may play a role in increased rates of cesarean delivery, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and bacterial vaginitis. Risks to the child long-term relate to brain and immune system function. I talked to Dr. Zina Kroner, Medical Director of New York City’s Advanced Medicine of New York, about vitamin D in pregnancy….Dr. Kroner believes that “checking a prenatal patient’s vitamin D levels is imperative.” When I asked her about cost, she said “insurance will cover the cost if the right diagnostic code is provided. Even if the patient lacks insurance, the cost is approximately $150 at a private lab and labs will usually give a 50% discount if they know that a patient does not have any insurance.” Dr. Kroner believes that “knowing what the level is allows a nutritionally oriented physician to prescribe a more exact dose of vitamin D and decrease the likelihood of undershooting.”
Bruce Hollis, Ph.D., director of pediatric nutritional sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston, was one of the authors of the study comparing different doses of vitamin D in pregnancy. In terms of a generalized dosage recommendation he believes “Pregnant women need to take 4,000 IU of vitamin D a day,” and that “we didn’t see a single adverse effect. It was absolutely safe, and we saw a lot of improved outcomes. The risk of preterm labor was vastly decreased and so was the risk of other complications of pregnancy.” [as reported by Denise Mann for Health.com] One hypothesis about how vitamin D can contribute to a healthy birth is that premature labor is often a consequence of a sub-clinical (meaning you don’t know you have it) infection. Studies have shown that the incidence of an infection called bacterial vaginosis–the number one cause of preterm labor–increases along with vitamin D deficiency.
The only realistic way to consistently get adequate amounts of vitamin D is to supplement. Vitamin D3 is the typical recommendation, but some vegans prefer to take vitamin D2. There are mixed reports, but it is generally believed that vitamin D2 is more difficult to absorb, so just make sure to get checked to optimize your dose.
Anecdotally I will say that most of the women I work with supplement with the higher amount of vitamin D and I have had a very low incidence of premature rupture of membranes (when water breaks before labor has begun) and preterm labor in my client group. Because the women I work with are usually interested in a birth that is as natural and intervention-free as possible, helping decrease the chances of complications that will land them in the hospital earlier is a big priority. I have come to believe that vitamin D supplementation not only contributes to overall mama and baby health, but to having a positive labor and birth experience as well. And for women who are planning for a pregnancy, making sure that their vitamin D status is a-ok is one important way to prepare their bodies for the best possible pregnancy and birth.
Want more information about vitamin D? The Vitamin D Council is the place to get the most up to date information and also for testing resources.
