10 February 2014
According to a new US study women with low vitamin D levels in the first 26 weeks of their pregnancy may be at risk of developing severe preeclampsia, posing a high health risk to the mother and child.
The observational study analyzed blood vitamin D concentrations of 700 pregnant women who later deve- loped preeclampsia and of 3,000 mothers who did not develop a complication during pregnancy (1). The study results showed that a sufficient vitamin D level was associated with a 40% reduction in risk of severe (but not mild) preeclampsia.
The researchers commented that vitamin D has diverse functions in the body beyond maintaining bone and muscle health, including actions that may be important for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Further explo- ring the role of vitamin D in reducing the risk of preeclampsia is warranted. Severe and mild preeclampsia are thought to have different root causes. Preeclampsia is a condition characterized by high blood pressure and significant amounts of protein in the urine of a pregnant woman.
6 August 2012
According to a new US study, folic acid fortification could help to reduce the incidence of some of the most common types of kidney and brain cancers suffered by children.
6 March 2013
A new Chinese data review says that daily folic acid supplementation may reduce hardening of the arteries and decrease atherosclerosis risk.
8 August 2011
The Word Health Organization has released international guidelines on vitamin A supplementation to reduce child mortality.
