In an article published by the British Journal of Nutrition (BJN), the authors argue that despite a growing body of evidence that links vitamin D deficiency to complications in pregnancy and poor neonatal health, the UK remains the only one of 31 European countries that doesn’t have a set vitamin D recommendation for women of reproductive age, whilst also failing to endorse a daily supplement to expectant mothers.
Dr Elina Hyppönen, reader in epidemiology and public health at the ICH and a co-author explains, “The incidence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women in Britain is unacceptably high, especially during winter and spring. This is compounded by a lack of exposure to sunlight and the limitations of an average diet to meet the optimal need.
“In the most severe cases, maternal vitamin D deficiency can be life threatening to a newborn. We believe that the routine provision of a daily supplement throughout pregnancy would significantly decrease the number of mothers who are clearly vitamin D deficient, reducing related serious risks to their babies.
“Our take on vitamin D supplementation in the UK has seen many changes over the decades and we can see clearly from past experience that a proactive approach to supplementation has coincided with a much lower incidence of deficiency linked diseases such as infantile hypocalcaemia and rickets.”
Current data for the UK shows that women are more likely to be vitamin D deficient than men). Pregnancy poses a particularly high risk situation, with one in four pregnant mothers being vitamin D deficient during winter and spring, with nearly all having concentrations considered insufficient.
In the article, Dr Hyppönen and her co-author, Barbara J Boucher (Queen Mary, University of London) draw on historical data that supports the case for a daily dose of at least 10µg of vitamin D to prevent vitamin D deficiency in pregnant mothers, and recent evidence suggesting potentially wide-ranging benefits for the prevention of deficiency for the health of the mother and her child.
“This risk of vitamin D deficiency is largely being overlooked by our health professionals. Under a current government scheme, pregnant women who are on a low income are entitled to receive supplements free of charge, but there is no strong evidence to suggest that this group are at greater risk.
“What’s needed is a unified approach that will ensure that all expectant mothers, regardless of their economic status, are informed of the benefits of taking a regular supplement throughout pregnancy.”
Avoidance of vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy in the United Kingdom:the case for a unified approach in National policy Elina Hyppo¨nen1 and Barbara J. Boucher2:
http://journals.cambridge.org/bjn/vitD
Nigel Denby comments:
Although the Food Standards Agency can often rub me up the wrong way- this is an example of where they could really help to make Vitamin D recommendations for pregnant and breastfeeding women become a reality. Vitamin D is produced in the skin via sunlight. Many women who for religious and cultural reasons need to be fully covered by clothing, and these women are at risk of deficiency. Our poultaion is only going to become more diverse in the future and so this problem is only going to get bigger and supplements will need to considered as a viable option.
