title: The role of vitamin D in pregnancy and lactation: emerging concepts.
abstract: Pregnancy is a critical time in the lifecycle of a woman where she is responsible not only for her own well-being, but also that of her developing fetus, a process that continues during lactation. Until recently, the impact of vitamin D status during this period had not been fully appreciated. Data regarding the importance of vitamin D in health have emerged to challenge traditional dogma, and suggest that vitamin D - through its effect on immune function and surveillance - plays a role beyond calcium and bone metabolism on the health status of both the mother and her fetus. Following birth, this process persists; the lactating mother continues to be the main source of vitamin D for her infant. Thus, during both pregnancy and lactation, maternal deficiency predicts fetal and infant deficiency; the significance of this is just beginning to be understood and will be highlighted in this review.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. wagnercl@musc.edu
authors.forename: Carol L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Sarah N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: Donna D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Bruce W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Hollis
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014809:Vitamin D-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014809:Vitamin D-Binding Protein; D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D