Vitamin D

[MustMountMoreFairies]

Hello all,

I am just 12 weeks pregnant. I am not taking any supplements apart from folic acid. No one told me I should be taking vitamin D - not my GP nor the midwife. I now read it in the Pregnancy Book that I should be taking it all throughout pregnancy. Is this true? Is everyone taking vitamin D?

Thanks a lot!

I am due to a known calcium deficiency.

I think it's quite a new thing. When I had my first mw appt, I had a real battle. she'd told me to go to my gp and get a prescription for Vit D, so off I went.. doc wouldn't give it without a proper prescription as he'd never heard of it being prescribed before, so rang mw who told me to come in, but I couldn't get off work so in the end I just went and bought some from Boots. After all that, I kept forgetting to take it!

So, in short, I did Google it and it seems it's a very new recommendations and you're unlikely to really NEED it (unless you cover up for religious reasons, for example, and never go out in the sun).

So I wouldn't worry.

Cool - thanks. Saying that, my first trimester was in the depths of winter - that was probably the time I should have been taking it!

I am 29weeks pregnant, been taking about 2 x 12.5ug of vitamin D for a few months now, though not religiously, just a few times a week as it is a high dose and our bodies can store vitamin D. Theres been alot of research over the past 2/3yrs that women taking a high dose vitamin D supplement during pregnancy have better all round outcomes.

Considering that we can only obtain vitD in this country from sunlight from March to around Sep/Oct, its seems strange we are not advised to take it during pregnancy. Even during summer months, sunlight can be pretty poor and often we put on sunblock which means we're unable to absorb any vitD anyway.

Its up to you anyway, I'm sure you'll be fine whatever. I had severe PET with my last pregnancy so whatever I can do to help prevent it this time, I'll do it.

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.

I asked my MW 2 days ago and she reckons I should see the GP because it really depends on the individual... Will see th GP next week....

In Scotland all the midwives are recommending 400 a day.

Just read this article having seen both your threads. I am going to get an additional supplement I think as doesn't seem that the pregnacare is enough.
CONFUSING!

Sorry - here is the article www.webmd.com/baby/news/20100504/high-doses-of-vitamin-d-may-cut-pregnancy-risk?page=2

I work in a GP surgery and the guidelines to take vitamin D were only circulated around a few weeks ago. Some GPs in the practice are recommending it, some are waiting until we've had a meeting to discuss the new guidelines (I looked into it for personal reasons, being pregnant - and the guidance is variable - some say all pregnant women, some say only from 10 weeks pregnant, etc). So it is a very new guideline, for the UK at least.

It is supposed to be 10 mcg a day, for all pregnant women. Like someone said above, it is more aimed at protecting women who get minimal sun. I certainly wouldn't fret about it if you hadn't been taking it - very few women in the UK have been.

10 mcg is 400 IU, to clarify.

I've been prescribed vit D3 (amongst many other things) from a specialist for support in the prevention of recurrent miscarriage and, as you have read, it has been shown by some studies to have a positive effect on pregnancy ing 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.

I wouldn't fret too much about not having taken it so far but if you fancy taking it, it certainly not going to do any harm. 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

*sorry - 10ug not mcg

definitely take Vit D supplements. It can take months to build up your levels if you are low. Asian and black women are more at risk but white women can also be affected. If you are vitamin D deficient when the baby comes then your breastmilk may be, this means there is more risk of your child developing rickets. Vit D supplements are cheap. I take 2 x 25ug on top of whats in my pre-conception multivitamin. Mine are Boots own brand. Like a few people said above UK current guidelines are far lower than in other countries. In an online discussion on this subject on the Guardian other european women referred to rickets as 'that british disease'. Of course rickets isnt common here but there are have been reports of an increase in cases, its seen as partly down to the trend to cover kids up in the sun .