Vitamin D.Taking suplements.Am I harming my baby?

[mica23]

Hi, got bad vitamin D deficiancy and been taking suplements but am not sure is it vise..(or is it lacking a certain vitamin bad!!)Midwife no help at all and not seeing GP for another week.HELP!!

[BabyBaby123]

i don;t think you are meant to take anything other than pregnancy vitamins or something which has been prescribed for you during pregnancy, can you call your GP?

[SofiaAmes]

My father (famous scientist) would highly recommend you take Vitamin D as well as a multi vitamin when pregnant and at all other times too. In fact, my mother just had a minor surgery and stopped taking her vitamins for a few days after the surgery and the thing my father was most worried about was the 2 day lack of vitamins! He is especially concerned about Vitamin D deficiency and thinks that Vit D is responsible for much more than we initially thought. Make sure you are taking a multi too. The pregnancy vitamins are only normal vitamins with a little extra of certain things like Folic Acid. You can save some money buy buying the same thing, but just not labeled "pregnancy."

[mica23]

Thanks, I kind of thought that lack of anything in pregnancy cant be good thing but was not sure...

[purplemyrtle]

I think some of the govt official stuff recommends supplementing in pregnancy, nhs website:

"Current UK guidance from NICE suggests that it is important to maintain adequate vitamin D during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and that women may choose to take up to 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day during these periods, particularly if they have specific risk factors for vitamin D deficiency. In the UK, the NHS provides vitamin supplements containing vitamin D for eligible children aged between six months and four years."

pretty sure you ought to take them if you've been deficient.

[SofiaAmes]

Hey!!! My dad just sent me an article (completely coincidently) that some scientists have just done are large study which concluded that Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy makes you MUCH more likely to end up having a C-Section. The information on the study is:

Association Between Vitamin D Deficiency and
Primary Cesarean Section

Anne Merewood MPH, IBCLC; Supriya D. Mehta PhD, MHS; Tai C. Chen PhD**;
Howard Bauchner MD; Michael F. Holick PhD, MD5

J Clin Endocrin Metab. First published ahead of print December 23, 2008 as doi:10.1210/jc.2008-1217

[mumface]

Sofia RE taking non pregnancy multi vitamins.I have always been led to believe extra levels of vitamin A is not safe in pregnancy.Most ordinary Multi suppliments contains this.So special Pregnancy Multi vitamins should be bought as they do not contain this.Also isn't this why liver only recommemded once a week?

[SofiaAmes]

Generally vitamin A (and other vitamins that you shouldn't have too much of, are only present in small amounts (much less than the daily recommended amount) in multi's. (and vitamin A is more of a problem if you don't get enough Vitamin D), but yes, you are right, you should always check what you are taking with a doctor when pregnant. It's just that a lot of the pregnancy vitamins (or anything else for that matter) are just the regular thing with a pregnancy label on it and sold for twice as much. You could probably take a regular vitamin and supplement it with Folic Acid and calcium and iron which are important things for preganancy that there isn't so much of in regular vitamins. But actually I think it's more important to have the Folic acid before you conceive and in the first 28 days of pregnancy. And in fact the father should be taking vitamins before conception too!

[peppie]

During pregnancy you should take a miniumum of 400 IU Vitamin D3. That is a formal recommendation in Finland. It is far too little but better than not supplementing at all. In California it is recommended to take 4000 IU during pregnancy which sounds more approriate.
Also during breastfeeding it is important to take vitamin D3 at least 3000 IU per day but even more, American recommendation is 6400 IU per day.

400 IU = 10 microgram

I think that in winter time it would be good to take 5000 IU per day and summer time a little bit less but at least 2000 IU per day.

It is better to take D3 than D2. And vitamin D in oil capsules absorbs better than taking D3 in tablet form.

[Methe]

Birmingham Woman gave me vitamin D supplements at my 12 weeks booking appointment last week so it must be ok.

I think recommendation is ALL pregnant woman take them.

[joannita]

Don't buy normal multivitamins for use during pregnancy, you could OD on vitamin A!

[MillyStar]

My midwife has recommended vitamin D to me as she said the number of babies deficient in it has risen! She told me when i was about 32 weeks, i took it till i was about 20 weeks anyway and i've started up again, 37 weeks now so my baba should have plenty vitamin d

[lalabaloo]

My midwife also recommended taking vitamin D supplements, as apparently there has been an increase in vitamin D deficiency recently, it's one of those things the NHS is very keen to be mentioned at appointments according to her

[oikopolis]

researched this myself and vit D supplementation (even in surprisingly high doses) in pregnancy has also been shown to reduce the risk of miscarriage.

i take a preg multivitamin and top up with a vit D tablet every so often too. took vit D every day in 1st trimester.

ask your doctor, but certainly imo it is a good idea.

[TitsalinaBumSquash]

My GP gave me folic acid and a combination of Calcium and Vit D when I went to register with the midwife, he says its advised throughout pregnancy.

[NoWave]

I took Vit D supplements during pregnancy, and my consultant went mad and ordered a blood test.

She then called me to tell me that it's a good job I was taking them, as my level was only just borderline OK even with the supplements.

[Spiritedwolf]

The pregnancy vitamins I've been given by my midwife in Scotland contain:

Vit C
Vit D
and Folic Acid

I feel I'm particuarly at risk of Vitamin D deficiency because not only do I live fairly far north, I also have fairly limited time outdoors even in summer, so it's just as well I'm taking them. Other people are more at risk because of their skin type.

Vitamin D is definately recommended. You are not harming your baby. But check with your midwife or doctor if you are worried.

[Spiritedwolf]

Although I think it's particuarly important for me to get vit D supplements, they are given out as standard by my local midwife unit (and are perhaps across Scotland because of the NHS Scotland labelling on the bottle?).

[FoofFighter]

I'm in Scotland and got told about it but didn't get given any SpiritedWolf. I think in Scotland they are generally far more on the ball re vit D due to the low daylight hours/quality we get.

[PollyIndia]

There is vitamin D in my pregnacare but only 10 micrograms. So do I need a separate vitamin D supplement? I thought pregnacare would sort it. I am 13 weeks now

[freelancegirl]

Seems to be a few posts about Vitamin D recently! As I said on another one - I've been prescribed vit D3 (amongst many other things) from a specialist for support in the prevention of recurrent miscarriage and it has been shown by some studies to have a positive effect on pregnancy in general.

I take a further 25ug (in the yellow pot from Holland and Barrett) on top of the 10ug that is already in Pregnacare (plus Omega 3). I know a lot of people who have been prescribed this for similar reasons. My doctor said to take it up until 12 weeks but I am carrying on throughout pregnancy (am now 22 weeks pregnant, 5th pregnancy, all four previous ones were losses) due to more and more research saying it can be beneficial.

Contrary to some past beliefs new reseach seems to show it is very difficult to over dose on Vit D. Also if you have any thyroid problems, thyroid patients can also be low on Vit D to start off with.

Here are some links to several pieces of research extolling the virtues of taking it in pregnancy. But like I said, am pretty sure there's nothing to worry about if you're not taking it! Personally, however, it is something I definitely will keep taking.

sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/vitamins-and-miscarriage/vitamin-d

Good that your dad is recommending it too Sofia

[kipperandtiger]

Ladies who are expecting - Ask for the pharmacist at any registered chemist (whether it's a local one or a chain like Superdrug, Boots, etc). They are all qualified and accredited for giving out advice about vitamins in pregnancy, what dosage and what form, and you can also ask about whether it affects any other underlying conditions you have eg thyroid dis, kidney disease, etc. They are not out to sell any particular brand, they'll tell you what dose and what form to take, and which medications to avoid.

[joannita]

I went in my local pharmacy yesterday and they don't even stock vitamin D only multivitamins or vitamin C. How rubbish is that?

[joannita]

Aww freelancegirl Just read your post properly. Really wish you all the best for this pregnancy. Sounds like you are doing everything humanly possible to make things work out. You really deserve it to go well and you've not far to go now. Will be thinking of you XXX

[nextphase]

Another one saying if your vits contain vitamim A please please please make sure it is marked as suitable for use in pregnancy.*
Its not as simple as levels of vit A.
There are 2 forms - retanol and carotenes. If you consume high levels of retanol, there can be effects on baby during pregnancy - which is why it is not recommended to eat lots of liver during pregnancy.
The carotenes (4 types) are processed differently by the body, and so are safe to consume in higher quantities - carrots, for example aren't limited.

[FoofFighter]

Joannita, try your local Holland & Barratt/health food shop, although they may be pricier than a chemist would be.

I'll be going to get some today myself. My Pregnacare blend has the recommended amount in but reading the above posts about other countries plus the fact I live in Scotland and am mobility impaired so don't go out a lot in the daytimes, maybe once or twice a week, I intend to breastfeed and I'm almost 40 I figure it wouldn't be a bad idea to up my levels.

(re Vit A - Pregnacre doesn't appear to include it, there's something called carotenoids which I think must be what the previous poster is referring to at a level of 2mg.)