Vitamin D for the prevention of preeclampsia? A hypothesis.
Preeclampsia has been suggested to result from a partial breakdown of tolerance to the developing fetus after maternal immune maladaptation. Several of the proposed immunomodulatory properties of the hormonal vitamin D system could potentially have beneficial effects for successful maintenance of pregnancy. Preeclampsia is characterized by marked changes in vitamin D metabolism. This paper reviews the evidence suggesting that the immunomodulatory properties of 1,25(OH)2D may play a key role in maintaining immunological tolerance in pregnancy, and proposes that ensuring adequate vitamin D status/intake may help in the prevention and management of preeclampsia.
Hyppönen
Elina
E
Centre for Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK. e.hypponen@ich.ucl.ac.uk
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014807:Vitamin D