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to build and maintain strong bones and teeth, you should eat calcium-rich foods like milk and yogurt. But you might not know that vitamin D plays an equally important role — it’s what enables your body to absorb and hold onto that calcium and other minerals you and your developing baby need. Not only does vitamin D help us absorb calcium so we maintain strong bones, but the fat-soluble vitamin also aids immune function and plays a part in blood sugar regulation.
Why You Need Vitamin D During Pregnancy
Your body needs vitamin D when you’re pregnant to maintain proper levels of calcium and phosphorus, which help build your baby’s bones and teeth. Vitamin D is also important for healthy eyesight and skin. And if that happens while you’re pregnant, your baby can suffer a deficiency, too.
How Much Vitamin D Should I Take In Pregnancy?
All pregnant women should take a 10 microgram (or 400 IU) supplement of vitamin D each day. This will give your baby enough vitamin d for the first few months of life. If you do not take a vitamin d supplement through pregnancy, there is a risk that your child will have soft bones.
This can lead to rickets (a disease that affects bone development in children). If you are eligible for Healthy Start vitamins, vitamin D is included in these.
Will I Need To Take Extra Vitamin D In Pregnancy?
Some women are more likely to need vitamin D than others. You may have a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency if you:
rarely go outside
always cover your skin
use high-factor sun block
have darker skin
have a BMI above 30. But you do not need extra unless you have been diagnosed with a deficiency.
What Foods Have Vitamin D?
We have more information about how to eat well during pregnancy.
What Are The Best Sources Of Vitamin D?
And even then, your exposure is likely to be patchy, with various factors at play, including cloud cover, your use of sunscreen, the time of day you go outside, the natural pigmentation of your skin and the coverage you get from your clothes. From October until April, your body relies on any reserves of vitamin D left over from the summer.
Once these have been used up, other sources are required to maintain an adequate supply2. The problem is, only a few foods provide vitamin D, making it difficult to get sufficient amount.