Prenatal Supplements Lacks Evidence to Support Its Use

A study conducted by the researchers in the BMJ to analyze the necessity of recommendation on Vitamin D intake in pregnancy revealed that there lack enough evidence to support that. The already existing studies failed to provide the reason to use Vitamin D supplements during pregnancy. Vitamin D is known for maintaining calcium level in our body and to keep our teeth, bones as well as muscles healthy. This was the initial reason why it was recommended for pregnant women.

Medical officers suggest that taking Vitamin D supplement can also help protect against conditions are linked to pregnancy such as cancer, respiratory infections, asthma, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes.

Results from the Research

A team led by Dr. Roth conducted the research to determine the current and future state of evidence on prenatal Vitamin D supplements use. They analyzed about 43 randomized trials. These trials involved 8,406 women. This number allowed them to estimate the benefits of using Vitamin D during pregnancy. They took into account difference in quality and the design to minimize bias in their study. However, they found a substantial variation in their trials.

The results were as follows:

  • Taking Vitamin D supplements when pregnant increased the level of Vitamin D in the bloodstream and the umbilical cord blood.
  • The researchers did not find the impact of these high levels of Vitamin D leading to healthier babies and women.
  • There lacked enough evidence to support the benefits of using Vitamin D for maternal health conditions related to pregnancy.
  • Vitamin D supplement did not have an effect on birth outcomes such as premature birth. There lacked satisfying evidence on safety outcomes of using Vitamin D supplements.
  • There was strong evidence that Vitamin D supplements reduced the risk of offspring wheezing by age of 3 years. These results were based on 2 out of the 43 trials reviewed.
  • Vitamin D increased the average birth weight by 58 grams, which reduced the risk of having small babies.

What was the Research Conclusion?

Medical practitioners, doctors and BLS healthcare provider should stop recommending Vitamin D supplement use during pregnancy. World Health Organization (WHO) does not recommend healthy women to use Vitamin D supplement while pregnant.

In general, the previous researchers failed to prove or lacked confidence in their findings. It was confirmed that most of their trials were small because their sample was of 133 pregnant women. This made their finding to be prone to bias.

Research Recommendations for Vitamin D Supplement Use during Pregnancy

Cautious projections for the coming decades suggest that people will have more information about Vitamin D supplement in pregnancy. One thing that is limiting this is the lack of enough resources and effort to conduct the research using a large number of trials.

The effects of prenatal Vitamin D supplementation will not be fully answered for now. However, researchers pointed out that there are 5 prenatal trials that are approximated to have 12,530 participants that are underway. This is a good number that will be used in future to offer systematic and accurate reviews on the recommendations of prenatal Vitamin D supplementation.