Vitamin D and pregnancy

Significant numbers of pregnant women do not meet the recommended levels of vitamin D. Neonates whose mothers had low vitamin D levels during pregnancy have a lower bone density at birth and are at risk of rickets. The consequences of vitamin D deficiency beyond calcium homoeostasis are not yet completely understood, however, there is growing evidence that vitamin D plays a role in the optimal function of many systems that influence pregnancy outcomes such as glucose homoeostasis, inflammation and vascular function.