Factors associated with vitamin d deficiency in pregnant and breastfeeding women

Abstract

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency (DVD) during pregnancy and lactation can have a negative impact on fetal and infant development. Due to its fundamental role in the immune, cardiac, bone, muscular and neural systems. Objective: To carry out a literature review to integrate studies that show VDD in pregnant and lactating women, and the risk factors associated with this deficiency. Methodology: A bibliographic survey was carried out between August and October 2021, with updates between October and November 2022 through searches of the Pubmed and Scielo databases, as well as the reference lists of the selected articles. The descriptors food consumption, vitamin D, vitamin D deficiency, pregnant and lactating women were used, using the Boolean operator AND for the association between them. As inclusion criteria, the type of study (epidemiological, clinical trials and integrative and systematic reviews), language (Spanish, English and Portuguese) and period of publication (2010 to 2022) were adopted. Results: It was shown that there are several risk factors for inadequate vitamin D status in pregnant and lactating women, such as low skin exposure to sunlight and related factors (excessive use of sunscreen, less time spent outdoors, climate, religion and cultural habits, higher education), darker skin pigmentation, low dietary intake of vitamin D and associated variables lower maternal age, first trimester of pregnancy, primiparity and excess adipose tissue. Conclusions: In pregnant and lactating women, Vitamin D deficiency is associated with different factors, with emphasis mainly on low exposure to sunlight, darker skin pigmentation, and excess adipose tissue, and it is extremely important that they be approached with caution, influencing the reduction of hypovitaminosis D in these groups.