New research suggests vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of miscarriage, with scientists hoping to discover whether supplements taken prior to pregnancy will lower the risk of miscarriage. Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common, with pregnant women more likely to be deficient, according to experts.
All pregnant women are recommended to take vitamin D supplements in pregnancy to help their baby’s bones, teeth, and muscles develop. But low levels of vitamin D are linked with other serious pregnancy problems, including problems conceiving and pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia and preterm birth, says Tommy's National Centre for Miscarriage Research, based in Birmingham.
Research has shown that taking a low dose vitamin D supplement can help reduce the risk of these conditions. Yet it has long been unclear whether an early, low-cost, vitamin D treatment could also protect against pregnancy loss, including for women and pregnant people at high risk of recurrent miscarriage.
