One of our panel scientists, Martin Hewison, PhD, University of Birmingham, UK, recently brought to our attention these two papers which use mouse models to study vitamin D and pregnancy. They show what has been found at MUSC... that vitamin D reduces preeclampsia and improves pregnancy outcomes.

Vitamin D and the Regulation of Placental Inflammation
Journal of Immunology
April, 2011
Nancy Q. Liu, et al.

More than 30 years ago, the placenta was identified as a major site for conversion of 25(OH)D to the active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Recent studies by this group at Orthopaedic Hospital Research Center, University of California Los Angeles, have shown that autocrine metabolism of 25(OH)D3 to 1,25(OH)2D3 promotes antibacterial and anti inflammatory responses - in other words, vitamin D helps immune function.

Using mouse models, they showed that inhibiting vitamin D metabolism or function in fetal cells from the placenta resulted in increased inflammation in response to immune challenges. They found that vitamin D is a potent suppressor of placental inflammation.  This study suggests that vitamin D plays an important role in controlling fetal-placental immune responses during pregnancy.

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Dietary Vitamin D Restriction in Pregnant Female Mice Is Associated With Maternal Hypertension and Altered Placental and Fetal Development
Nancy Q. Liu, et al.
Endocrinology
April 2013

Epidemiology has linked vitamin D deficiency with preeclampsia in humans. Nancy Q. Liu et al. hypothesized that low vitamin D status in pregnant mice may lead to symptoms of preeclampsia. Using two groups of female mice - those fed a vitamin D-sufficient diet and others on a vitamin D-deficient diet - they mated with vitamin D sufficient males. Pregnancy, blood pressure, birth weight, heart and kidney function were all studied. The data provided evidence that low vitamin D status may predispose pregnant women to dysregulated placental development and elevated blood pressure.

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