Pregnant women should be given vitamin D supplements

LONDON - All pregnant women should be given vitamin D supplements to safegaurd their babies’ life, as lack of it could be life-threatening for a newborn.

Researchers say women who do not have enough vitamin D can experience complications in pregnancy which could be life-threatening for a newborn. It could also lead to the development of diseases such as rickets and other deficiency linked conditions.

Elina Hypponen, from the University College London Institute of Child Health, said providing women with daily supplements would “reduce related serious risks to their babies”.

“The incidence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women in Britain is unacceptably high, especially during winter and spring,” telegraph.co.uk quoted Hypponen as saying.

“This is compounded by a lack of exposure to sunlight and the limitations of an average diet to meet the optimal need.”

“In the most severe cases, maternal vitamin D deficiency can be life threatening to a newborn.”

“We believe that the routine provision of a daily supplement throughout pregnancy would significantly decrease the number of mothers who are clearly vitamin D deficient, reducing related serious risks to their babies,” she added.