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Studying Vitamin D

The Connection Between Vitamin D and Pre-eclampsia

By Teri Brown

A recent study done by the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences found that vitamin D deficiency early in pregnancy is associated with a five-fold increased risk of pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia, also known as toxemia, is responsible for up to 80 percent of maternal deaths. In the United States alone, nearly 15 percent of preterm deliveries are a result of pre-eclampsia.

Jennifer Reno from Howell, Mich., was one of those women whose preterm labor was due to pre-eclampsia. After noting that her blood pressure was high, her doctor put her on bed rest. Her baby was delivered four and a half weeks early.

"I never knew about a link between vitamin D and pre-eclampsia," Reno says. "I assumed I was not low on any vitamin because of the prenatals, but I don't really know if they had everything I needed."

This is something that troubled the researchers performing the study. Many of the women included in the study reported taking prenatal vitamins, which typically contain 200 to 400 International units (IU) of vitamin D. Even a small decrease in vitamin D may be enough to cause trouble.

Pre-eclampsia is marked by high blood pressure along with a high level of protein in the urine. The hands, feet and legs of women with pre-eclampsia often swell up. It occurs during the latter part of the second half of pregnancy, or in the third trimester. If left untreated it becomes eclampsia and can cause seizures, coma or even death of the mother, baby or both.

Pre-eclampsia prevents the uterus from getting enough blood, which can retard the growth of the baby. It is also the No. 1 cause of premature birth.

Dr. Lisa M. Bodnar is an assistant professor of Epidemiology, Psychiatry and OB/GYN for the Graduate School of Public Health and School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh. She is also one of the authors of the study that connects vitamin D and pre-eclampsia. Dr. Bodnar says that vitamin D is a pro-hormone that is produced either in the skin through exposure to sunlight or ingested orally through diet or supplements.

Want to see more?

• Managing Pre-eclampsia
• Tackling Toxemia: Toxemia Is a Common Pregnancy Disorder
• Smart Supplements: A Look at Prenatal Vitamins
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!