VITAMIN-D SUPPLEMENTATION IN PREGNANCY - A NECESSITY

In septentrional countries without vitamin D supplementation of milk a nd dairy products, many pregnant women are vitamin D deficient. Conseq uently vitamin D deficiency is present in many newborn infants, which may lead to neonatal hypocalcemia and vitamin D deficient rickets. A p revention of vitamin D deficiency is therefore a necessity in pregnant women through a vitamin D supplementation. This can be done either by a daily supplementation of 400 IU during all pregnancy, or a daily su pplementation of 1 000 IU during the third trimester, or by giving a u nique dose of 100 000 to 200 000 IU during the seventh month of pregna ncy.