A new study done by Norwegian University of Science and Technology reports that one in every three pregnant women in Norway is dealing with a vitamin D deficiency by the end of her pregnancy. The study was published recently in the journal PLOS One and says that during Norway’s dark and harsh winter- the percentage of pregnant women who had a vitamin D deficiency increased to 50 per cent. Miriam K. Gustafsson, co-author and a PhD student at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s (NTNU) Department of Public Health and Nursing said, “It’s tough to get enough vitamin D from dietary sources, and for six months of the year the sunlight isn’t sufficient at northern latitudes for our skin to make the vitamin. Even though we see the sun, it’s too low for us to produce vitamin D. We’re covering ourselves in sunscreen in the summer to protect our skin and prevent cancer, but this can make it harder for the body to produce enough vitamin D.”
Low levels of vitamin D can deteriorate bones of both the mother and the child. Calcium absorption is negatively affected in the absence of Vitamin-D. During pregnancy, vitamin-D is even more crucial- it helps build the bone mass of the child while simultaneously maintaining that of the mother’s. Past researches have shown that low levels of vitamin D can increase the risk of asthma in the child. Extremely low levels can often lead up to high blood pressure, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Additional vitamin-d supplements during pregnancy are the key to prevent this from happening, though the research indicates that less than one in five pregnant women actually take the recommended amount of vitamin D supplements during the course of their pregnancy.
But the research shows that while pregnant women might not be taking their vitamin-D properly, they do have a habit of taking their vitamin-B folic acid supplements correctly. A lot more women do take the recommended vitamin B folic acid supplements during pregnancy. Efforts to inform women have certainly contributed to their increased knowledge that folic acid can reduce a child’s risk of spinal cord defects (neural tube defects). I don’t think knowledge about the importance of vitamin D has reached the same level,” said Gustafsson. She thinks that doctors and midwives should be making it a priority to help pregnant women check if they are meeting the requirements to prevent a vitamin-D deficiency. Health authorities should also communicate this to public health organizations.