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Vitamin D Blog

Vitamin D before, during, and after pregnancy

Tuesday May 1, 2012

The more vitamin D mom takes, the more benefits for her and the future child.

  • The benefits to mom start about 2,000 IU daily average (2000 IU costs less than $15 per year)
  • Substantial benefits proven for 4,000 IU taken during pregnancy (fewer complications, lower cost)
  • Best benefits at 6,000 IU - this much is also needed if breast feeding without supplementing the infant
  • Taking > 2,000 IU raises the cost, primarily due to cost of Co-factors

Vitamin D during pregnancy

IU Cumulative Benefit (by Vitamin D Life.com) Blood level Co-factorsCalcium $*/year
400 Less Rickets
3X less adolescent Schizophrenia
Fewer child seizures
20-30 ng/ml Not needed No effect $3
2000 2X More likely to get pregnant naturally/IVF
2X Fewer dental problems with pregnancy
8X less diabetes
4X fewer C-sections (>37 ng)
4X less preeclampsia (40 ng vs 10 ng)
5X less child asthma
2X fewer language problems age 5
42 ng/ml Desirable < 750 mg $15
4000 2X fewer pregnancy complications
2X fewer pre-term births
49 ng/ml Must have
co-factors
< 750 mg $75
6000 Probable: larger benefits for above items
Perhaps prevent 2nd autistic child
   clinical trials underway
Just enough D for breastfed infant
Must have
co-factors
< 750 mg $85

$* assumes

  • You buy fairly low cost vitamin D and co-factors (more expensive if liquid and/or vegan)
  • Using a low cost size of vitamin D - such as 5,000 IU, as often as needed. (50,000 IU costs even less)
    Example: 5000 IU every other day if you only want an average of 2500 IU
  • Test vitamin D levels of those moms who are at high risk for being vitamin D deficient
       $30 for a blood test about 6 weeks after starting vitamin D to check that mom is getting enough


The above is the summary of the Overview of Vitamin D for Moms and babies, updated May 1, 2012

CLICK HERE for the entire Overview