Vitamin D for expectant mothers and newborn health

Vitamin D is an essential and vital nutrient for the human body. A deficiency of this vitamin poses health risks for people of all ages. A recent research suggests that about 85 per cent to 90 per cent of the Bangladeshi population suffers from some level of vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D is the only nutrient that is hardly found in food. Around 90 per cent of our vitamin D requirement comes from sunlight. In reality, most of us spend very little time outdoors or spend time in the sun for 30 minutes between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. So, except for those who work outdoors, the majority of the people suffer from vitamin D deficiency.

Much shocking information about the deficiency of Vitamin D in pregnant mothers and in newborns has raised significant concern among health researchers. While not all these findings have been fully explained yet, several complications have been linked to a lack of Vitamin D in newborns. The list of complications includes premature birth, seizures, respiratory distress immediately after birth, severe infections, intestinal inflammation and more.

All of this significantly increases the risk of hospitalisation for the newborn. The underlying processes believed to contribute to these complications include the wide-ranging roles of Vitamin D receptors, dysfunction of immune system cells, placental inflammation, and imbalances between beneficial and harmful gut bacteria.

About 50 per cent of seizures caused by calcium deficiency in newborns are due to a lack of Vitamin D actually. If blood calcium levels fall below 8 mg/dL, there is a greater risk of seizures, and medical treatment should be initiated accordingly. In most cases, such seizures can be controlled without causing long-term neurodevelopmental complications.

Various studies show that maintaining suitable levels of Vitamin D during pregnancy can positively influence birth weight, height, head circumference, bone growth, and even prevent congenital rickets in newborns. It is recommended that pregnant women maintain a minimum blood level of 20 nanograms per decilitre (ng/dL) of Vitamin D.

A mother’s Vitamin D level during pregnancy has been linked to several short and long-term health conditions in the child. These include preventing hypoxic brain injury (where the brain is deprived of adequate oxygen supply) and supporting brain development. Vitamin D also plays a role in the child’s overall growth and immune system development later in life.

A deficiency of Vitamin D in the pregnant mother can also result in complications for herself, such as pre-eclampsia, diabetes, bacterial vaginosis, and an increased rate of caesarean (C-section) deliveries.

* Dr Rabi Biswas is a paediatric endocrinologist as well as a professor and head of department at Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute.