Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 18: Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy may be linked to a lower risk of certain adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, according to a 2026 umbrella meta-analysis.

The study also indicated that vitamin D intake could improve key anthropometric measures in newborns, including birth weight, birth length and head circumference.

Researchers analysed data from more than 1,88,000 participants and found that prenatal vitamin D supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm birth, low birth weight, small-for-gestational-age infants, stillbirth and neonatal mortality.

In some subgroups, supplementation was also linked to a lower likelihood of caesarean delivery.

Experts noted that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is a significant global public health concern, with prevalence ranging widely from 9% to 94%, depending on factors such as country, ethnicity, skin pigmentation, clothing practices and diet.

The study highlighted that vitamin D plays an important role in immune function, metabolism, inflammation control and vascular health, all of which are crucial during pregnancy.

Researchers observed that the benefits of supplementation were seen even with lower doses and shorter intervention periods.

However, they cautioned that vitamin D supplementation should not be seen as a guaranteed preventive measure against all pregnancy-related complications.

The authors have called for further studies to determine optimal dosage, timing of supplementation during pregnancy, and its combined effects with other prenatal supplements.