Zlatko Kirovakov‡, Elitsa Petkova§Corresponding author: Zlatko Kirovakov ( kirovakov@yahoo.com ) Academic editor: Galya Stavreva © Zlatko Kirovakov, Elitsa Petkova. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Citation:
Kirovakov Z, Petkova E (2025) Impact of Vitamin D deficiency on pregnancy outcomes: can we manage it effectively? Journal of Biomedical and Clinical Research 18: 271-281. https://doi.org/10.3897/jbcr.e166383 |  |
Background: Vitamin D is essential for maternal health, fetal development, and pregnancy outcomes. Despite its importance, vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among pregnant women, increasing the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), preeclampsia, preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction.
Objective: This article explores the impact of maternal vitamin D deficiency on pregnancy outcomes and evaluates current strategies for its management and prevention, and supplementation.
Methods: We onducted a comprehensive literature review of clinical trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews, focusing on the association between vitamin D levels and pregnancy complications and the effectiveness of supplementation and public health interventions.
]Results: Studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency is linked to poor pregnancy outcomes, including hypertension, GDM, low birth weight, and neonatal health complications. Vitamin D supplementation (600–4,000 lU/day) has shown potential benefits in reducing these risks, but the optimal dosage and screening strategies remain debated. Food fortification and sunlight exposure may be complementary approaches to improve maternal vitamin D status.
Conclusion: Managing vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy requires a multifaceted approach, including early screening, appropriate supplementation, dietary interventions, and public health policies. However, further large-scale clinical trials are needed to establish standardised guidelines for universal supplementation. Addressing vitamin D deficiency can significantly enhance maternal and neonatal health outcomes, making it a crucial public health priority.