Prevention of vitamin D deficiency in mothers and infants worldwide — a paradigm shift

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency in mothers and infants is a global health disorder despite recognition that it is preventable. Recent data support the theory that vitamin D deficiency in adults and children may increase the risk of infections and auto-immune diseases. In most cases, vitamin D deficiency is caused by sunlight deprivation and inadequate corrective vitamin D intake. There is a strong mother/infant vitamin D relationship that affects vitamin D status both in utero and in infancy. Recognition that vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide mother/infant health problem is a basis on which to modify public health strategies to reduce the burden of disease and improve maternal and child vitamin D nutrition. This review provides an update on vitamin D function and the global scope and implications of vitamin D deficiency as it relates to pregnancy and infancy. It also addresses a combined strategy to prevent vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy, lactation and infancy.

Keywords:

• vitamin D
• mother
• infant
• deficiency

This work is supported in part by grants from the Thrasher Research fund (Dawodu A and Wagner CL) and from the National Institute of Health R01HD043921 and R01HD047511 and NIH/NCRR UL1 RR029882 (Wagner CL).