A recent review published in the journal Nutrients has explored the potential link between vitamin D deficiency and pregnancy and postpartum anxiety and depression. The review found that vitamin D is essential for both maternal and fetal health, as the high calcium demands of the fetus require elevated maternal serum levels of active vitamin D. However, recent studies show that many pregnant individuals are deficient in vitamin D, which is linked to risks of intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, miscarriage, and increased likelihood of maternal depression and anxiety.
The review incorporated recent studies from 2020 onward to update findings on the association between vitamin D and pregnancy-related depression and anxiety. The researchers included studies that measured vitamin D concentrations in adult pregnant and postpartum women, using validated tools to assess the presence of anxiety and/or depression. The review included 15 cohort studies, nine cross-sectional studies, and one case-control study, each assessed for bias risk using a validated checklist.
The study found depression and anxiety occurred in 7%-49% of pregnant women and 12.4%-37.8% of postpartum women, while vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency was present in 15.7%-82.6% of participants. Seven studies found an association between low vitamin D levels and depression during pregnancy, and nine found similar associations postpartum. On average, vitamin D levels were significantly lower in women with antepartum depression. Similarly, postpartum depression was associated with a smaller decline in vitamin D levels. After adjusting for other variables, postpartum depression risk was found to be twice as high in individuals with vitamin D deficiency.
Conclusion
The review found an inverse association between vitamin D levels during pregnancy and the postpartum period and the likelihood of depressive symptoms. However, the evidence linking serum vitamin D concentrations to anxiety symptoms in the antepartum period remains inconclusive. The researchers suggest that public health initiatives that promote vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and postpartum, as well as programs to increase awareness of vitamin D’s role, could help improve maternal physical and mental health while reducing healthcare costs. Longitudinal studies that follow pregnant and postpartum women over extended periods are essential to better understand the strength of these associations.
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