Pregnant women with vitamin D deficiency are more likely to give birth prematurely.

A survey by American scientists at the University of Pittsburgh recently published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology points out the possibility of premature birth in pregnant women with vitamin D deficiency.

The research team surveyed the blood vitamin D levels of more than 3,200 pregnant women who gave birth prematurely and found that in cases of low vitamin D, the risk of premature birth increased.

Accordingly, in pregnant women with blood levels below 50 nmol/L (nanmol/liter of blood) of vitamin D, the risk of giving birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy is 11%. This rate is 9% in people with 50 to 74.9 nmol/L of vitamin D and 7% in people with 75 nmol/L of vitamin D or higher. The research team suggests that abundant vitamin D may help limit placental infection - a condition that can easily cause premature birth.

Sun exposure is also considered a way to prevent vitamin D deficiency. Photo: Total Health

There is no consensus on what level of vitamin D is considered adequate, but according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 30 nmol/L of vitamin D in the blood is considered severe deficiency, and 50 nmol/L is considered deficient in many people. The recommended daily intake of vitamin D for pregnant women is 600 international units.

According to Health and Life