[firewoman]

Hi ladies. I wanted to post this because I think vitamin D supplementation in early pregnancy to prevent complications is a newer idea. My midwife has begun recommending vitamin D testing to all of her clients simply because she is seeing a trend of deficiency in MOST of her pregnant clients. And guess what? We live in San Diego. It is sunny here and most people like to get out and enjoy it so I'm surprised to hear so many of us are lacking in this important nutrient. Normal range is 30 to 40 and my test results were 22.5. She has suggested supplementation in the 3000-4000 IU range. I have to do more reading but what she said is that deficiency is being linked to such pregnancy complications as PIH and preterm labor. Maybe worth talking with you midwife or OB about!

 

[Pookietooth]

Thanks for the reminder, I had been slacking off lately.

 

[dogmom327]

Not in your DDC but I tested at 29 so I'm in a similar boat. My naturopath is passionate about vitamin D levels and his first recommendation is to get 10-30 minutes of sun exposure between noon and 1 pm every day. That is when vitamin D production will be highest. Your body should naturally make about 20,000 iu during that time. You don't want to burn of course and will want to go inside of cover up once your skin gets a little pink. Luckily for you, you can hopefully do this every day.

Other options (especially for those of us with no access to sun for most of the year): high vitamin cod liver oil is great but you have to be really careful on the brand because many use synthetics which are bad for you and the baby. A safe brand is Blue Ice/Green Pastures fermented cod liver oil. You can buy it online directly from Green Pastures or from www.building-health.com or www.drron.com. Because there are almost no sunny days here right now, my naturopath also has me on drops (not pills you get in the store or "enriched" foods as they are all synthetic and your body won't absorb them properly). The drops are made by Biotics Research Corp and are called Bio-D-Mulsion Forte. You get an ounce for like $18 and it doesn't sound like a lot but you only take a couple of drops a day (each drop is 2,000 iu) so they last forever.

Hope that helps!

 

[firewoman]

HadhratKhadija-See this is why the fact that I'm deficient is interesting. Very fair people SHOULD have less of a problem with vitamin D deficiency because we have less melanin to protect our skin. I live in San Diego and I get unfiltered sun. I'm redheaded and I rarely wear sunblock. The problem with me isn't an issue of sun exposure. Not having adequate vitamin D can cause much worse problems than just not having enough milk. Pregnacy induced hypertension is a potentially life threatening condition and has ties to this deficiency as does preterm labor which is also life threatening. This is an excellent example of why supplementation for some people is necessary.

Dogmom327-Interesting that you mention Blue Ice CLO. That IS what I take. It only has 400IU, though and I can't take more because of the vitamin A content. I eat eggs and mushrooms regularly but that isn't enough. My vitamin D level was 22.5 so it is even lower than yours! My midwife said normal range was 30-40. Is this what you were told as well? She wants me supplementing 3000-4000 IU a day.

 

[treehugginmama]

My MW doesn't test Vit. D but I asked her to check it today. It wouldn't surprise me if it's low. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Friendlee]

I was at 20 when tested a few weeks ago - OB is STRONGLY against taking vitamin D supplements...and I called another OB for a second opinion and they agreed, NO Vitamin D because it can cross the placenta.

However, my naturopath and my "integrative" MD feel STRONGLY otherwise and that my OB is sorely mistaken. I tend to believe them more and so I am taking it, but not telling my OB which feels awful.

There is no way I can get enough where I live. It's cloudy and too far from the equator. I, too, take the Biotics, white thick drops. The FDA is in the process of re-evaluating the recommended dose, but even now it is soooooo low that I bet they still only up it to something minimal.

My MD requested I take 2,000 to 3,000 IU. Currently there is 1,000 in my prenantal (more than the FDA safety rec already! ha! and yet they aren't afraid of being sued because the research so highly supports the need) And on top of that I take about 3 drops which equals about 1,400 IU.

Of course overdose is bad too. My MD will be testing me again in 3 months and we'll decide then if I should back down to 1,000 to 2,000 or continue with the 3,000. But 20 is way too low. Like you all have found, my doc says MOST people these days are low. Now I want to get my DH tested. Just want us all to enjoy optimal health!

P.S. Firewoman, I was told that 30-40 was optimal too, even 50 she said was good. Also, I was taking a really good cod liver oil until I became confused/concerned about how much vitamin A I was getting in comparison. That's when my ND just said to rely on the Vit D drops instead. But I know the great benefits of CLO...just thought I'd add my input for ya.

 

[firewoman]

Thanks Friendlee! It isn't surprising to me that the OB's are so anti. Often times it takes awhile for new info to seep into medical protocol and even when it does the new protocols take awhile to get into actual practice. I'm glad you have a watchful eye on your intake and your blood levels. It sounds like you are under good care. It will be interesting to see what my levels are in 13 weeks when they test me again. Please post after they retest you and let me know if you notice a difference in how you feel.

 

[megame]

I was surprisingly low (8) when I was checked and I was put on a prescription super-strength pill (i can't remember the strength) that I had to take once a week for 12 weeks and I just finished maybe two weeks ago. I had my vitamin D drawn at my last appt and it was just within minimum limits so now I'm going back to daily pills. The doctor had me tested to make sure that my hormones were working correctly (i think it comes from the pituitary?) to absorb vitamin D and it looks like thats not the issue, must just be the lovely NW weather!

I'm glad i read this because I didn't realize the amount of time that had passed since my last megapill, and i really don't want to lapse again. I'm taking my next pill tonight!

 

[Kmama2]

Actually I think the newest research is recommending levels more around 50 to be optimal. I first testing mine about 1 year ago and I was 22... I take about 4,000-6,000 a day and it went up to 33. I just had it tested again at my first pre natal appointment and I am curious of the results. I have either been nursing or pregnant for the past 3 years straight. Its pretty hard to overdose on Vit d.. You would need at least 10,000 a day and maybe even much much more to overdose on it. Here in the northeast its cloudy 6 months out of the year at least so I know most of us out here are low for sure.

 

[firewoman]

WOW! Thanks for letting me know this. I was going to start on the low end of their recommendation, but if 5000-6000 only brought you up to 33, maybe I will start between 4000-5000. I live in a sunny climate but it doesn't seem to be doing me much good! This is such an interesting topic to me. I think I would like to have my levels tested before 28 weeks. How long did you wait to see the rise from 22 to 33? I have been pregnant breastfeeding most of the last 8 years so I guess it is no wonder I'm deficient. Scary, though, because my mother died of breast cancer at 50. I'm glad I found out I'm deficient now.

 

[treehugginmama]

for those of you that are deficent have you had any symptoms?

 

[firewoman]

Some of the symptoms are so general it is hard to know. I would say mostly no. Megame was the lowest so out of anyone she may have experienced symptoms. I will be able to tell better if I had symptoms once I supplement and see if I notice a change.

 

[megame]

Quote:

Originally Posted by treehugginmama for those of you that are deficent have you had any symptoms?

I didn't really. I went in for a general physical a bit early (pre-pregnancy) because I was feeling a bit under the weather and tired and wanted a good general blood work up as I'm vegan and I'd never had one done, so I was a little worried about feeling tired being nutrition related. The tests came back and my vitamin D was low (I think 23?), but not really low and everything else was fine. She told me to start taking a supplement but I never got around to it and tried to be better at getting more sun exposure.

I started feeling better in the long run anyway and put the fatigue on some sort of general under the weather/feeling down/etc. When I went back in for my first prenatal they redid the test, and that was when it was really low (8).

So I'd say I didn't really have any symptoms at all, except fatigue, but that went away even though my vitamin D was still dropping.