It is time to initiate a call to action for all pregnant women. It is time to educate all pregnant women and OBs about a necessary change to standard of care. There is enough research, including a major nutrient field trial, confirming vitamin D levels above 40 ng/ml can greatly decrease the risk of preterm birth, setting children up for a healthier life.

How do we know this?

2006 - In this commentary, Drs Bruce Hollis and Carol Wagner lay out the importance of questioning the current vitamin D requirement for pregnant women, 200 IU/day, and lay out the premise that higher daily doses are both safe and necessary. This is a sort of treatise of things to come - the stake in the sand that will mark a change to standard of care for pregnant women.

2011 - Dr. Bruce Hollis, et al. published results from the Medical University of South Carolina's first randomized controlled trial on vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy with 350 women. This study showed that 4000 IU/day was not only safe, but also effective in raising vitamin D levels in pregnant women.

2013 - Dr. Carol Wagner, et al. replicated the study above using two new community sources and found similar results - 4000 IU was indeed safe, and no adverse effects were seen. This study also found an inverse relationship between preterm birth and vitamin D level.

2016 - GrassrootsHealth and Drs Wagner and Hollis published results comparing serum levels vs. rates of preterm birth using the data from their previous studies and comparing that to "normal" population results from the March of Dimes. This study showed that there was a decrease in preterm birth until about 40 ng/ml, and then reached a plateau. Indeed - that 40 ng/ml should be the target for pregnant women.

Present - Starting in September 2015, the Medical University of South Carolina, under the leadership of Dr. Roger Newman, implemented GrassrootsHealth's Protect our Children NOW! program - a new standard of care that tests pregnant women at up to 3 timepoints in pregnancy, educates them, and provides free vitamin D supplements if desired, to try and achieve 40 ng/ml. After seeing over 3000 women, the results were presented at this year's Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Pregnancy Meeting. The results almost exactly matched those of previous studies - on a bigger population!

What does this mean?

The time is now for more nutrient field trials to occur. For other organizations to change their standard of care so that all pregnant women are screened and encouraged to raise their vitamin D level to at least 40 ng/ml. 

We have been saying this, and most of you know it is true, but we can't wait for "more research" - we need to act now!

• If you know a pregnant women - encourage her to join D*action, to find out how her level compares to others, for the sake of her pregnancy and of her unborn child.
• If you know an OB - tell them to read this newsletter and the papers associated with it. To attend an upcoming conference at the Medical University of South Carolina and learn more. The lives of all of their patients depend on it.
• If you support the March of Dimes - email them and let them know there is a way to prevent preterm birth and it isn't more studies - it is vitamin D - and it is NOW!

We are going to make a splash! So, join us, the water is warm.

Carole Baggerly 

Director, GrassrootsHealth 

A Public Health Promotion & Research Organization