Any new info about pregnancy & women with vitamin D?

Dear Anon, did you mean vitamin D defficiency and pregnant women? If so, your question is very timely as new research and latest medical literature is finding more and more that the United States population as a whole is very defficient of this very important vitamin. I appreciate your concern about your sister's health.

According to a 2007 study conducted by the University of Pittsburg School of Health Sciences (the article was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism), it showed that vitamin D deficiency in early stages of pregnancy is associated with a significant increase risk of preeclampsia. A serious complication of pregnancy characterized by soaring blood pressure and swelling of the hands and feet. Preeclampsia is the leading cause of premature delivery and maternal and fetal illness and death worldwide, conservatively projected to contribute to 76,000 deaths each year. Vitamin D defficiency during pregnancy also increases the risk of the mother and baby's bone health, type 1 diabetes, asthma and some mental disorders such as schizophrenia.

Your sister should make sure that her levels are within normal range of this very essential vitamin, to protect herself and her offspring. A simple blood test ordered by her OBGYN should be done promptly. If she suspects defficiency, she should start taking at least 800IUs right away. The RDA is 400 IUs daily, but recent research suggest that greater dosage is more effective to give the body sufficient amounts to stay healthy.