Vitamin D: Pregnancy Nutrition Role In Autism Prevention

Sun Jun 12, 2022

Making sure you are getting the proper nutrients is crucial to good health throughout pregnancy, for you and your baby. One important nutrient to remember is vitamin D often referred to by the name of "sunshine vitamin." So let’s learn about the importance of Vitamin D during pregnancy.

Different Places To Get Vitamin D?

Before we go into the benefits of taking vitamin D while pregnant to prevent autism, let's look at how you can get vitamin D.

1) Exposure to sunlight

Vitamin D is created when the sunlight rays fall onto your skin. Many factors play a role in the process of vitamin D production and sun exposure. Age is just one of them to consider when we get older our skin's ability decreases to create enough vitamin D. The pigmentation of the skin is another factor, since people with darker skin types require higher amounts of sunlight to produce vitamin D (this is due to the characteristics of melanin that absorbs sunlight's energy therefore there's less that can trigger the vitamin D creation). Other variables include the time of year and whether you're wearing sunscreen when you're in the sun.

2) The right food to eat

Vitamin D does not occur naturally in many food items. However, it is found in fish that are fatty, such as mackerel, salmon, as well as tuna. It is also found in eggs as well as cheese, liver of beef, and other foods that have vitamin D, such as a variety of cereals, dairy products, dairy products, and orange juice.

Since the amount of vitamin D needed during pregnancy can be challenging through sunlight and food on its own, many mothers opt for supplements.

3) Taking vitamin D supplements

Vitamin D is available within supplements and comes in two distinct forms Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Both of these types could boost your vitamin D levels.

Benefits Of Vitamin D During Pregnancy


Being able to absorb sufficient vitamin D is crucial for everyone, but it's crucial for expectant mothers. The intake of enough vitamin D can ensure the development of a healthy baby and improves overall well-being throughout the pregnancy.

In pregnancies, vitamin D helps to support your immune system and health of your muscles, bones and teeth. It's also important for absorbing calcium and the mineral phosphorus. In the infant's development vitamin D helps to maintain the growth of bones in a healthy way. Vitamin D intake can assist in preventing premature birth.

Vitamin D Low Levels And Preeclampsia

Vitamin D levels that are adequate during pregnancy could reduce the chances of developing preeclampsia, which is a condition that is only seen during pregnancy. It is a condition that can be diagnosed as early as week 20 of pregnancy . They could include protein in urine, high blood pressure, and even water retention. In the case of severe preeclampsia, you could be suffering from headaches, blurred or shaky vision, difficulty absorbing bright light, fatigue nausea and vomiting, pain in your upper abdomen and breathlessness, and the possibility of bruises. Preeclampsia can affect about 5 to 8 percent of pregnant women, though be aware that the symptoms could be caused by health conditions and vitamin D supplements have been found to not independently reduce the risk of preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia may also affect the arteries that transport blood to the placenta. If your placenta isn't carrying sufficient blood supply, the child might not receive enough nutrients, oxygen or blood, which could result in the baby's weight being too low or having a premature birth.

Signs Of Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency may cause a range of symptoms and signs which include:

  • Feeling tired or tired

  • Joint pain

  • Depression

  • Muscle pain

  • Weakness

  • Thin hair

Of course, these may be normal pregnancy-related signs and symptoms and it's a good idea to speak to your physician if having any one of them.


What Can Cause Vitamin D Levels To Be Low?

Vitamin D deficiency is very prevalent throughout India and the world. As there are a variety of reasons for this. The first is that there aren't many food items that naturally contain vitamin D, and it's not always easy to obtain from your diet. Additionally, most people spend their time inside, and there's no sunlight that can trigger vitamin D production in their skin. The general rule is that low levels of vitamin D are typically due to a lack of dietary intake and sun exposure.

Are There Any Risks With Taking Too Much Vitamin D During Pregnancy

If you take Vitamin D while pregnant, you should be aware that over supplementation could occur when vitamin D is consumed and cause the development of toxicity. Hypercalcemia refers to the accumulation of calcium in blood, and it can affect the fetus if excessive vitamin D is consumed. The most effective daily dose for pregnancy is 4,000 IU per day, as stated above. When you are in the 3rd trimester the higher dose might be suggested by a medical doctor for a brief period of time, however this should be done under supervision as a way to monitor the levels of calcium.

Vitamin D-related symptoms

Alongside calcium increase, signs of too high levels of vitamin D may be:

  • Nausea

  • Vomiting

  • Weakness

  • Headache

  • Frequent urination

  • Muscles hurting

  • Damage to the kidneys and kidney stones

  • High blood pressure

Also known as hyper vitaminosis D. The danger of toxicity to vitamin D is very rare. Most often, it is an outcome of over-dosing on Vitamin D supplementation (as opposed to excessive exposure to sunlight or a high intake from a diet).




Ashutosh Bhardwaj, MBBS, DCH, PGDUS, PGPN
He is a Pediatrician and Neonatologist with passion of teaching on pregnancy diet and nutrition, scientific womb talk trainer, and baby brain development trainer.

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