Scientists report that pregnant women should take vitamin D supplements to protect their baby’s health, reports Telegraph.co.uk.
The study on deficiency of this vitamin is in opposition to the position of the British National Institute of health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), which does not endorse taking supplements.
However, experts say women who do not have enough vitamin D in their bodies may experience complications during pregnancy. This can even lead to a life-threatening condition for the baby or the development of medical conditions such as rickets.
Giving women a daily dose of supplements can reduce the serious risk to their children’s health, said Dr. Elina Hypponen, of the University College London Institute of Child Health.
In a report published in the British Journal of Nutrition, Hypponen calls for a unified position of health authorities on supplements. He also claims that vitamin D deficiency has been overlooked by them.
Pregnant women should consume 10 mg of vitamin D per day, which scientists say cannot be achieved by diet and sun exposure alone.
However, NICE says women should simply be advised to ensure adequate vitamin D levels during pregnancy and while nursing. Some may choose to supplement these deficiencies, she adds.
Low-income British women are allowed to take supplements for free from the Healthy Start Scheme, but the report says that all mothers, regardless of status, should be included.
Women are more likely to develop vitamin D deficiency than men. Earlier studies found that one in four pregnant women lacked vitamin D during winter and spring. They also found that taking the supplements coincides with a lower rate of diseases such as rickets and childhood hypocalcaemia, also known as Williams syndrome.
Vitamin D deficiencies in pregnant women in the UK are unacceptably high, especially during winter and spring. It has to do with a small number of sunny days and an undifferentiated diet. We believe that systematic delivery of the daily dose of the supplement during pregnancy can significantly reduce the number of mothers deficient in vitamin D, which will reduce the risk of health risk to their babies, added Dr. Hypponen. (PAP)