Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and its consequences

Abstract

The vitamin D deficiency pandemic sweeping the planet has hit pregnant women prominently. Studies show that the total level of insufficiency, deficiency and severe deficiency of vitamin D in the largest Asian countries reaches 97 %, in Europe and North America it ranges from 70 to 82 %, in the most problematic regions of Russia it reaches 98 %. Due to the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women, the insufficient level of understanding in the Russian society of the importance of this problem, as well as the variety of recommendations, up to diametrically opposed ones, a study was made to estimate the effect of vitamin D deficiency on pregnancy outcomes in Europe, the USA and Canada. The analysis of domestic and foreign literature on the problem of the effect of vitamin D levels in blood serum on pregnancy outcomes, as well as the conducted statistical studies, allow to conclude that the level of vitamin D in maternal blood serum has a serious impact on pregnancy outcomes. Low vitamin D levels are associated with increased maternal and perinatal mortality, as well as stillbirths. One of the main causes of maternal and perinatal deaths and stillbirths is preeclampsia, which is significantly more common in pregnant women suffering from vitamin D deficiency. Currently, the use of vitamin D supplements has become widespread in international practice in order to reduce the incidence and severity of preeclampsia and improving pregnancy outcomes. The currently existing official domestic and international regulations that do not recommend vitamin D intake during pregnancy require critical discussion and revision.