Low Vitamin D Intake May Aggravate Chances Of Preeclampsia During Pregnancy: Study

A recent study funded by the National Institutes of Health reveals that pregnant women who don't take adequate Vitamin D are at higher risk of developing severe preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a medical condition that usually occurs in the second or third trimester of pregnancy and results in increased blood pressure and protein in urine. The exploratory study by the researchers at University Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health highlights the importance of adequate Vitamin D intake during pregnancy that not only ensures proper bone development of the fetus but also reduces chances of developing preeclampsia.

It certainly does not mean that Vitamin D deficiency results in preeclampsia but rather aggravates the chances of the disease.

"Scientists believe that severe preeclampsia and mild preeclampsia have different root causes," said Mark A. Klebanoff, the senior author of the study, in a press release. "Severe preeclampsia poses much higher health risks to the mother and child, so linking it with a factor that we can easily treat, like vitamin D deficiency, holds great potential."

The researchers tested blood samples of 700 pregnant women who later developed preeclampsia in order to determine Vitamin D levels in their blood.

The researchers also examined the blood samples of 3,000 mothers from 12 U.S. cities who had not developed preeclampsia and were a part of the Collaborative Perinatal Project, conducted between 1959 and 1965. The blood samples were well preserved and the researchers were able to test the nutrient level, even after decades. The scientists also took into account  other factors  like race, pre-pregnancy body mass index, previous pregnancies, smoking, diet, physical activity and exposure to sunlight.

The researchers found that enough Vitamin D intake reduces chances of preeclampsia by 40 percent. On an average, 0.6 percent of the participants were found to be at higher chance of developing preeclampsia irrespective of their Vitamin D status.

Sea fishes, dairy products, egg, liver and sunlight are the richest sources of Vitamin D.

 Vitamin D supplements can be taken too but one needs to do it under medical advice.  A recent study reveals excessive intake of vitamin supplements can trigger miscarriage risks.