title: Vitamin D and pregnancy: skeletal effects, nonskeletal effects, and birth outcomes.
abstract: The function and requirement of vitamin D during pregnancy for both mother and fetus have remained a mystery. This fact was highlighted by The Cochrane Review in 2000, which reported a lack of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with respect to vitamin D requirements during pregnancy. Unfortunately, during the past decade only a single RCT has been performed with respect to vitamin D requirements during pregnancy. In this review we will discuss vitamin D metabolism during pregnancy as well as the consequences of vitamin D deficiency on skeletal, nonskeletal, and birth outcomes using birth observational data and data from our recent RCT. New RCT data strongly support previous observational studies in that improving nutritional vitamin D status will improve birth outcomes. The new RCT data indicate that 4,000 IU/day vitamin D(3) during pregnancy will "normalize" vitamin D metabolism and improve birth outcomes including primary cesarean section and comorbidities of pregnancy with no risk of side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Darby Children's Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Ave., Room 313, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. hollisb@musc.edu
authors.forename: Bruce W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Hollis
authors.forename: Carol L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D