The RCOG welcomes the news today of the Chief Medical Officer’s announcement to healthcare professionals on the importance of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and for breastfeeding women.
Current NICE guidance states clearly that pregnant women are informed, at their first antenatal booking, of the importance of adequate vitamin D during pregnancy and after, to maintain their own and their baby’s health. These women are advised to take 10 micrograms per day in the form of a multivitamin supplement.
It is crucial to ensure that at-risk women are aware of this need. Those identified as at-risk include:
- Women from black and ethnic minorities
- Women who are socially-excluded
- Women with limited exposure to sunlight, especially those who are housebound
- Women who are obese (pre-pregnancy BMI > 30).
Healthcare professionals including GPs, midwives and health visitors must ensure that this public health message is transmitted to prevent vitamin D deficiency in women and children.
Dr Tony Falconer, RCOG President said, “We support the CMO’s public announcement today. It reinforces the need for proper diet and nutrition throughout a woman’s lifespan. As healthcare professionals, women trust us to provide them with good information and we must ensure they receive this in a timely manner. The same could be said for other public health messages such as good sexual and reproductive health and cancer screening.
“Some women have low stores of vitamin D and it is crucial for them to get their daily dose since it has been shown to be beneficial in bone health and prevents rickets. But this doesn’t just apply to the young; we mustn’t forget the older generation who are more prone to osteoporosis.”
24 January 2012
To view the NICE Guideline CG62 (2008) Antenatal care: routine care for the healthy pregnant woman, click here.
To view the RCOG SAC Opinion Paper 16 (2009) Vitamin supplementation in pregnancy click here.