Pregnant women not getting enough vitamin D

Seven out of every ten pregnant women in the United States are not getting enough Vitamin D according to a study in the May issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. While prenatal vitamins do raise Vitamin D levels during pregnancy, the study shows that higher doses may be needed for many women.

"Prenatal vitamins do help raise vitamin D levels, but many women start taking them after becoming pregnant. Although research is ongoing, I think it's best for women to start a few months before becoming pregnant to maximize the likely health benefits," said the researchers.

The best strategy is measuring Vitamin D levels through a simple blood test and choosing supplementation doses according to those levels." researchers added, "This tailored approach is common in preventive care for people with high cholesterol, and safer and more effective than a one-size-fits-all solution." The study team analyzed nationally representative data from 928 pregnant and 5,173 non-pregnant women of childbearing age collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Steve - the researchers were spot-on in their recommendations. First, all women of childbearing age should be on a good multivitamin/mineral at the bare minimum. Second, women who are optimizing fertility for possible pregnancy should take a prenatal, and based upon individual need, add specific vitamins and minerals, especially folic acid and vitamin D. Third, a vitamin D3 blood test during an annual physical will deem the correct dosage to optimize levels.