Vitamin D, sometimes referred to as the "sunshine vitamin," provides important support for your bones, your reproductive health, and the outcome of pregnancy. Whether in the process of trying to conceive or already pregnant, it is vital to know more about the importance of adequate levels of this vitamin. Here are five ways that vitamin D can affect fertility and pregnancy:
1. Maintains hormone balance: For conception, one requires a proper balance of hormones in the body. Vitamin D helps maintain the appropriate level of such hormones, including progesterone and estrogen, inside your system. These are related to the development of the egg and conception. Low levels of vitamin D result in an imbalance in these hormones and affect your fertility.
2. Improves ovulation: It's essential to understand that healthy levels of vitamin D enhance your ovulation process, especially if you are trying for conception. Actually, deficiency in vitamin D triggers problems with ovulation.
3. Useful to men also: Vitamin D is not only required in the case of women; it is equally significant for men also. It improves the quality of the sperm within them. Men with sufficient levels of vitamin D tend to have healthy as well as motile sperm that improve the chances of conception.
4. Fights off pregnancy complications: It reduces risks associated with preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth if the amount of vitamin D during the course of pregnancy falls within adequate limits. This contributes to a healthier and more comfortable pregnancy.
5. Supports the development of the baby: Vitamin D plays an important role in your baby's development during the period of pregnancy. It is highly instrumental in the development of your baby's bones, teeth, and even their brain. Its deficiency might affect your baby's overall development, and it may further lead to a few congenital abnormalities.
Suggestion: Get yourself tested with vitamin D before trying to conceive or during your pregnancy. Consult with your doctor and consider taking its supplements, if required. After all, keeping yourself healthy is one of the most important ways of maintaining a healthy pregnancy.
(Author: Dr. Jyoti Bali, MBBS, MS - Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Founder of Baby Soon Fertility and IVF Center)
