The Role of Vitamin D in Fertility and during Pregnancy and Lactation: A Review of Clinical Data

Stefan Pilz, Armin Zittermann, Rima Obeid, Andreas Hahn, Pawel Pludowski, Christian Trummer, Elisabeth Lerchbaum, Faustino R. Pérez-López, Spyridon N. Karras and Winfried März
Additional contact information
Stefan Pilz: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036 Graz, Austria
Armin Zittermann: Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Center North Rhine-Westfalia, Ruhr University Bochum, Georgstraße 11, D-32545 Bad Oeynhausen, Germany
Rima Obeid: Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of the Saarland, Building 57, D-66421 Homburg/Saar, Germany
Andreas Hahn: Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Leibniz University Hannover, Am Kleinen Felde 30, D-30167 Hannover, Germany
Pawel Pludowski: Department of Biochemistry, Radioimmunology and Experimental Medicine, The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, Aleja Dzieci Polskich 20 Str, 04730 Warsaw, Poland
Christian Trummer: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036 Graz, Austria
Elisabeth Lerchbaum: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036 Graz, Austria
Faustino R. Pérez-López: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Zaragoza, Faculty of Medicine, Lozano-Blesa University Hospital, Domingo Miral s/n, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Spyridon N. Karras: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, First Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, 55535 Thessaloniki, Greece
Winfried März: Medical Clinic V (Nephrology, Hypertensiology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology, Diabetology), Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Theodor- Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, D-68167 Mannheim, Germany

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: Vitamin D deficiency is common and there exists a huge gap between recommended dietary vitamin D intakes and the poor vitamin D supply in the general population. While vitamin D is important for musculoskeletal health, there are accumulating data suggesting that vitamin D may also be important for fertility, pregnancy outcomes and lactation. Significant changes in vitamin D metabolism during pregnancy such as increased production of the “active vitamin D hormone” calcitriol support the important role of vitamin D in this setting. Observational studies show that vitamin D deficiency is a risk marker for reduced fertility and various adverse pregnancy outcomes and is associated with a low vitamin D content of breast milk. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) document that physiological vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy is safe and improves vitamin D and calcium status, thereby protecting skeletal health. Although certain RCTs and/or meta-analyses reported some other beneficial effects, it is still not clear whether vitamin D supplementation improves fertility or decreases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight, pre-eclampsia and neonatal mortality, or reduces wheeze/asthma in the infants. Nevertheless, vitamin D supplementation in pregnant women is frequently required to achieve a sufficient vitamin D status as recommended by nutritional vitamin D guidelines. In this review, we provide an overview of systematic reviews, meta-analyses and large trials reporting clinical data on the role of vitamin D for fertility, pregnancy and lactation.

Keywords: vitamin D; gestational diabetes; pre-eclampsia; breast milk; vitamin D binding protein; DBP; brain; autism; 25-hydroxyvitamin D (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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