New evidence (1) suggests that vitamin D may be important in preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a serious condition also known as: pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH); proteinuric gestational hypertension; and toxaemia of pregnancy. It is a form of high blood pressure (hypertension) that develops in conjunction with water retention (oedema) and/or excess protein in the urine (proteinuria).
Around 3% of all pregnant women suffer from preeclampsia each year and this condition is the principal cause of maternal death in the UK. Around 10 mothers and 1000 babies die each year as a result of the effects of preeclampsia and the condition is also the most common reason for elective (often early) delivery. Usually preeclampsia occurs between the 20th week of Pregnancy and the end of the first week postpartum. The earlier it presents in pregnancy the more threatening it can become
Previously I have written about how a healthy diet and certain vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, may be linked to prevention of preeclampsia. I have also written about vitamin D and pregnancy
This research (1) investigated blood plasma levels of vitamin D at the time of diagnosis of early-onset severe preeclampsia. The study involved 50 women with early-onset severe preeclampsia and 100 healthy women who acted as ‘control’ comparison subjects. The results showed that women with early-onset severe preeclampsia had decreased total blood plasma vitamin D levels when compared to the healthy control subjects. The difference in vitamin D levels remained statistically significant even after the researchers controlled for potential confounding subjects. Vitamin D levels were an average of 18ng/mL in the women with preeclampsia compared to 32ng/ML in the control group of women.
This study shows a potential association between low levels of vitamin D and an increased risk of preeclampsia, however the study does not prove that low levels of vitamin D cause preeclampsia. The authors of the study conclude that “Further study is needed to understand the impact of vitamin D deficiency on pregnancy outcomes”. The findings add to the recent research, accumulated over the last 3 years, which has highlighted the importance of vitamin D for health
The study did not investigate why vitamin D might act to prevent preeclampsia or why low levels were associated with the condition. The link could exist for a number of reasons. Vitamin D acts as a hormone in the body and there is some indication from laboratory studies that it could affect the placenta. Further research would be needed to investigate the links between vitamin D and preeclampsia risk.
There is debate over what constitutes an adequate level of vitamin D in the blood. But many experts say that at least 40 ng/mL is needed for overall health. It is also not known what daily intake of vitamin D is needed to achieve optimal blood levels. As mentioned in previous posts many experts advocate a minimum of 2000iu Vitamin D daily but as yet there are no official recommendations. Most individuals in the UK are probably not getting enough vitamin D, if you are concerned please check with your medical doctor prior to taking a vitamin D supplement.
(1) Robinson CJ et al. 2010. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in early-onset severe preeclampsia. Presented at the 30th Annual Meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Chicago,IL, Feb. 1-6, 2010. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.203. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2010.06.036
Written by Ani Kowal
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