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

verfasst von

Stefan Pilz, Armin Zittermann, Rima Obeid, Andreas Hahn, Pawel Pludowski, Christian Trummer, Elisabeth Lerchbaum, Faustino R. Pérez-López, Spyridon N. Karras, Winfried März

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.

Organisationseinheit(en)

Institut für Lebensmittelwissenschaft und Humanernährung
Abteilung Ernährungsphysiologie und Humanernährung

Externe Organisation(en)

Medical University of Graz
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Children's Memorial Health Institute
Universidad de Zaragoza
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (A.U.Th.)
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
SYNLAB Holding Deutschland GmbH
Universitätsklinikum des Saarlandes

Typ

Übersichtsarbeit

Journal

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Band

15

ISSN

1661-7827

Publikationsdatum

12.10.2018

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Umweltverschmutzung, Öffentliche Gesundheit, Umwelt- und Arbeitsmedizin, Gesundheit, Toxikologie und Mutagenese

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 3 – Gute Gesundheit und Wohlergehen

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15102241 (Zugang: Offen)
https://doi.org/10.15488/3893 (Zugang: Offen)