Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and lactation

Abstract

Summary Vitamin D deficiency is a common occurrence and concerns people all around the world, not withstanding pregnant women. Vitamin D is essential for normal mineralization of the fetal skeleton. Latest reports have confirmed that an optimal vitamin D supply is of great importance for health course of pregnancy and it influences the general state of the child's health after birth, as well as their whole life. It seems that the Recommended Dietary Allowance (the RDA) of vitamin D in pregnancy and lactation of 200-400 IU/d is too small and it needs to be changed. In this article we present: a new definition of vitamin D deficiency; its epidemiology and changes of calcium homeostasis during pregnancy and lactation; a review of literature related to the influence of vitamin D deficiency on the health of the mother and child, as well as controversies related to supplementary doses of vitamin D.