Vitamin D and Pregnancy

Before you get pregnant, or upon becoming pregnant, blood tests are done to check for anemia, exposure to certain viruses, blood type and others.  Increasingly, doctors are now also testing a woman’s vitamin D level.   Vitamin D has been a hot topic in the medical world for a few years, but why and how is it affecting conception, pregnancy and the health of the newborn?  That is the question scientists have been working on for almost a decade now. Let’s start by understanding what vitamin D is.

Vitamin D is a misnomer.  This so-called vitamin is actually a hormone.  For those of you chemically inclined, the 4 carbon ring backbone of this molecule makes it more of a steroid hormone than a vitamin.  It is structurally similar to estrogen, testosterone, progesterone and all the steroid hormones.  Technically speaking, a vitamin is a catalyst to a reaction in the body, and a hormone is a chemical messenger that actually sends messages to cells that causes them to change.  There is  a distinct difference between the two, and vitamin D falls into the hormone category in its structure and function.

Because of its steroid structure and function, vitamin D plays an important role in  priming cells for other hormones to do their job properly.  This is why having enough vitamin D is so important for conception.  It's not just the most well known hormones estrogen or progesterone that need to be balanced and functioning optimally, but the second string players as well:  thyroid hormone, cortisol, dheas, testosterone and VITAMIN D too.  These need to be well balanced with each other in order for the miracle of ovulation and conception to occur.  

Having enough vitamin D circulating through your system can increase your chance of fertility whether you're struggling with poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), lack of ovulation, or general fertility problems. This “hormone” also plays a role in male reproduction.  Both sperm motility and production are increased when levels of vitamin D are normal.  SO get your men tested too - as we all know it takes two to tango (so to speak).  

Once pregnant, the focus shifts to the developing fetus who is dependent on maternal vitamin D levels.  The placenta, which provides nutrition and oxygen to the growing fetus,  requires vitamin D to function.  In this study   the authors indicate that vitamin D may play a role in implantation of the pregnancy, normal placental development, and the development and prevention of eclampsia.  All imperative to a healthy, full term pregnancy

Some studies have also looked at childhood health as related vitamin D levels in utero.  Healthy maternal levels of vitamin D have  been shown to decrease the likelihood of wheezing in their children.   It is also implicated in the prevention of respiratory infections, type one diabetes and MS (multiple sclerosis).  

With all this information stacking up, it makes sense that vitamin D levels should be monitored pre conception and during the pregnancy.  It’s a simple test that your doctor can order or you can get an at-home finger stick test through the vitamin D council or ZRT Lab.    

Preconception Health part 2: Optimizing Hormone Balance For Fertility

There are multiple factors that influence physiology and culminate in ovulation and conception.  Not only internal factors, like healthy blood and vitality, but also external factors like the seasons and the amount of light in our bedrooms at night.  Reproduction is truly an amazing and complicated process.  All contributors being equal though- what ultimately decides whether a woman will produce an egg and conceive is .. drum roll please.......our hormones. 

Hormones are the chemical messengers of the body.  They literally communicate information to cells. Without hormones, or when our hormones aren’t working optimally, these messages can be missed, leading to all sorts of “miscommunications”.  For example, if the hormone insulin isn’t communicating with cells, diabetes is the result.  When thyroid hormones don’t communicate there can be fatigue, dry skin, slowing of the metabolism.  When sex hormones aren’t communicating the results can be missed periods, lack of libido, or infertility. 

Hormones really are in charge

But what affects hormones and their ability to communicate?.... well that is a long list, let's start with just a few:

1.      Other hormones - thyroid, insulin, pituitary hormones, testosterone, adrenal hormones like DHEA and cortisol. When one hormone is out of balance (too high or too low) the other hormones have to make up for that, by filling in the gap or overcompensating.  Hormones prefer to coexist in harmony.  They help each other to do their best jobs.  When one fails, the others compensate temporarily, but  eventually those hormones get over used as well and the result is a whole lot of  miscommunication  and disharmony - hormone imbalance. 

2.      Vitamin or mineral deficiencies - vitamins and minerals (like B vitamins, iron or iodine) act as cofactors in the body in certain metabolic processes and some hormones rely on vitamins and minerals to be produced .  As an example, iodine is needed for thyroid hormone production.

3.      Toxicity -  can affect hormone communication. Actually, it's the body's ability to rid itself of these toxins that affects hormone communication. These chemicals do not have any nutritious or useful qualities, so the body needs to process them out or "detox". With increased exposure, the detox burden can become too big and excess toxins circulating through the system can affect normal physiology.  The result - conditions like endometriosis, fibroids, infertility, anovulation , nutritional deficiencies, depression, anxiety, fatigue, body aches, and more.  Here is a short list of some toxins that we exposed to regularly: pesticides, hormone like preservatives in bath and body products, chemicals in gasoline and exhaust fumes, chemicals in our carpets, furniture, plastics and paint. 

There are other factors that can affect hormone health.  Stress, sleep, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D and immune system health, other health condition like PCOS or diabetes, to name a few. The take home message here: For optimal hormone function and fertility, get your body in  tip top shape- address your nutritional needs, lifestyle needs and any underlying conditions that might be affecting your vitality.