Vitamin D deficiency simply means that the human body is lacking vitamin “D”. People are suggested to take a good portion of vitamin D since early childhood days, mainly in the form of sun basking.
Speaking of the wonders, Vitamin D does to the human body, it assists in bone development, strengthening, and maintenance. This vitamin is also a significant contributor to fortifying and strengthening the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, and immune system in general.
In Nepal, Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common with estimates suggesting 57% to 73.6% of people lacking the vitamin. Likewise, a recent study, not more than a few years ago revealed that in the Bhaktapur city of Nepal, 81% of pregnant women had vitamin D deficiency during delivery.
This highlights the urgency of educating expecting couples, mothers, and people in general about Vitamin D deficiency in Nepal. In Today’s article, we will cover everything connected to Low Vitamin D during pregnancy.
Vitamin D Deficiency Pregnancy Symptoms
Vitamin D is important during pregnancy, during delivery, and after delivery as well as for the overall health of the baby. The symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women are as follows:
- Back pain
- Fatigue
- Urinary frequency
- Food cravings
- Headaches
- Bone loss
- Muscle weakness
- Mood changes, such as depression
- Increased sensitivity to pain
- A tingly, “pins-and-needles” sensation in the hands or feet
Pregnancy Risk Factors Associated With Low Vitamin D
Low vitamin D has a series of adverse risks not just for the mother but the development of the child too, such as the health of bones. Below, sketched are the maternal risks as well as Fetal and Neonatal Risks of Low Vitamin D.
Maternal Risks of Low Vitamin D
- Gestational Diabetes (GDM):
- There is evidence that reduced vitamin D amounts within the body make insulin resistance more likely which results in gestational diabetes. When this condition develops it results in prenatal growth problems which raises prenatal delivery difficulties while enhancing future type 2 diabetes risks.
- Preeclampsia:
- Research shows that preeclampsia affects women when their sunshine vitamin levels are insufficient because this condition generates dangerous blood pressure elevations and organ damage. This condition brings about outcomes hazardous to mothers and their newborns through early delivery and causes severe complications.
- Preterm Labor and Birth:
- The deficiency of vitamin D intensifies inflammation while harming uterine functions which results in higher preterm birth risks. Infants who arrive early in the birth process suffer from developmental problems together with breathing difficulties.
- Increased Infection Risk:
- The lack of vitamin D in pregnant women weakens their immune system leading to increased infections including UTIs and respiratory illnesses that might negatively affect the pregnancy.
- Poor Maternal Bone Health:
- Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women produces weak maternal bones that heighten the chance of fractures and permanent bone density reductions over multiple childbearing cycles.
Fetal and Neonatal Risks
- Low Birth Weight:
- The birth weight of babies whose mothers suffer from vitamin D deficiency goes low which increases their susceptibility to health problems and delays their development.
- Rickets and Bone Defects:
- A maternal deficiency in vitamin D results in poor bone absorption which leads to weak structures that raise the chances of rickets combined with skeletal problems in young infants.
- Weakened Immune System:
- The immune system function of newborns is weakened because pregnant women with low vitamin D experience impaired immunity which makes their babies more vulnerable to early-life infections.
- Neurodevelopmental Issues:
- Researchers find evidence showing that when mothers have low vitamin D levels it raises the possibility their children will develop cognitive delays, have lower IQs, and develop autism spectrum disorders.
Best Sources For Vitamin D
During Pregnancy, women can seek the easiest way of Vitamin D absorption by skin synthesis, basking in the sunlight. It is said that sitting in sunlight for 5-15 mins per day between the hours of 10 AM and 3 PM nurtures the body with sufficient Vitamin D.
Dietary sources of Vitamin D can be consumed in sufficient amounts throughout pregnancy. Some highly rich sources of calciferol are:
- Fatty fish species such as Catfish, Salmon, Mackerel, Tuna
- Eggs
- Beef
- Fish liver oils
- Additions to breakfast cereals, plant milks and fat spreads
- fortified margarine and butter
- cakes
The Body’s requirement for Vitamin D can also be fulfilled through artificial sources such as:
- UV Lamps
- Vitamin D3 supplements produced through plants and fungi
- Vitamin D3 supplements produced in animals including humans
How Much Vitamin D Do Pregnant Women Need?
A Pregnant woman needs around 10 micrograms of Vitamin D each day. Especially, during the colder months of March, when the female body isn’t capable of producing the vitamin through sunline alone, daily doses are crucial.
Also, basking in the sun for 15-30 minutes, in the peak hours of 12-4, enriches the body with the required 1000 IU of cholecalciferol(Vitamin D).
Depending upon a woman’s Body Mass Index (BMI), a BMI higher than 30 suggests that a higher dose of Vitamin D is required each day.
When To Start Taking Vitamin D During Pregnancy?
Woman must actively get natural Vitamin D sources from the day of pregnancy identification. Even better would be the situation when, a woman maintains her Vitamin D requirements at the time of planning for a baby.
Vitamin D, supplements can however be started between 12 and 16 weeks of pregnancy. The ideal recommended dose of 1000-1200 IU should be maintained.
Does Lack Of Vitamin D During Pregnancy A Child’s Growth?
During pregnancy vitamin D insufficiency, does affect a child’s growth and leads to two negative outcomes: both small birth weights as well as reduced head circumference measurements in newborns.
It is possible for vitamin D insufficiency to create soft bones that result in the medical condition known as rickets which produces bone deformities.
Baby growth is delayed when mothers suffer from vitamin D deficiency because their newborns achieve lower height and weight milestones at the beginning of their development period.
The neurological development of the human brain depends heavily on vitamin D which shows that insufficient vitamin D intake can trigger cognitive and behavioral problems in the long run.
