Dr Jocelin’s Weekly Health Tip is on Vitamin B12 and the many benefits of this vitamin.
Tag: Pregnancy
Vitamin D Equals Healthy Pregnancy
Proper nutrition is key to the health of any individual, but perhaps most important to pregnant mothers. The health of women during pregnancy determines the future health of her child, and there is evidence that her health affects the next generation as well.
Unfortunately, today’s standard diet, and even one of whole foods, often does not provide all of the nutrients in the amounts necessary to support all aspects of health at a functional level. This is especially true for vitamin D—the sunshine vitamin—that is not easily found in the foods we eat, and must be obtained through supplements for most people.
Something Unique about Vitamin D and Pregnancy
Pregnancy presents a unique and exaggerated example of the body’s need for vitamin D. There’s something very unique concerning the metabolism of vitamin D that occurs only during pregnancy and at no other time in the human life cycle. While the conversion of vitamin D is normally directly related to serum calcium levels, during pregnancy there is an uncoupling of vitamin D metabolism from calcium. If a pregnant woman has adequate levels (40-60 ng/ml or 100-150 nmol/L) of 25(OH) vitamin D, the precursor to active vitamin D, her body will convert twice the normal amount of active 1,25(OH) vitamin D by the end of the first trimester, and over three times the normal amount by birth, with her calcium levels remaining normal. This could potentially indicate a physiological need for greater availability of vitamin D during pregnancy more than any other time, and for reasons other than bone and calcium homeostasis.
80% or More of Pregnant Women are Vitamin D Deficient
Unfortunately, United States statistics reveal nearly 80% of pregnant women, and virtually 100% of African American women, have vitamin D levels below 40 ng/ml. This clinical finding potentially can preclude to a 30-50% increased risk of preterm birth and an increased risk of other perinatal morbidities including gestational diabetes, infections, preeclampsia, low birth rate, and cesarean delivery.
The Grassroots Health Nutrient Research Institute panel of scientists recommends a vitamin D serum level of 40-60 ng/ml (100-150 nmol/L). Research published by Grassroots Health and others has shown that when these levels are achieved, there exists a potential 40-60% reduction in preterm births. Other articles have shown such results as a 50% reduction in influenza rates in children, an 80% reduced risk of Type 1 diabetes, and an 83% reduction in breast cancer risk. Keep in mind that, due to a large variation in the response each individual has to supplementation, testing the vitamin D serum level is essential. In other words, one cannot assume that supplementing with a certain recommended dose of vitamin D will get them to their target level; therefore it is important to test.
Due to the overwhelming evidence supporting vitamin D during pregnancy, specifically reaching a minimum vitamin D level of 40 ng/ml, Grassroots Health helped implement a first-of-its kind study for pregnant women at MUSC. The goal of the project was to help all prenatal patients to achieve a vitamin D serum level of at least 40 ng/ml, which has been demonstrated to be the threshold for benefit in previous randomized trials, as described above. This nutrient field trial included 1,064 pregnant women who, over a 16-month period, received vitamin D screening at their first prenatal appointment, supplementation and education about vitamin D, and re-testing to ensure a vitamin D level of 40 ng/ml had been achieved. Results found that those who achieved a vitamin D level of at least 40 ng/ml had a 60% lower risk of preterm birth compared to those with levels less than 20 ng/ml. For those women who had previously experienced a preterm birth (who are also at a higher risk for subsequent preterm birth), their chance of having a recurring preterm birth was reduced by 80%. During implementation there were no incidences of toxicity due to any vitamin D intake. An impressive result, especially considering the only intervention was vitamin D screening, supplementation, and education. The MUSC project has run continuous analysis on the implementation of the protocol in practice since the original paper and continues to show consistent results.
Be sure to talk to Dr Jocelin about having your Vitamin D levels monitored during pregnancy and checking out our large selection of Vitamin D supplements at Whitaker’s Natural Market.
C-Section & Autism Research
When you’re pregnant, you dream of having a beautiful, healthy baby and make exciting plans for the future. The actual process of giving birth is just something to get through to meet your wonderful infant. Some of us learn pain management techniques and breathing exercises in an effort to have a natural birth, but for most women when push comes to shove, we leave what occurs in the birthing room to our obstetricians. That, however, might not be the best way to go. New research suggests that having a C-section may increase the risk of serious conditions for the child.
The study, which took place at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, found an association between C-section births and higher rates of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These results are based on a review of 61 investigations that included more than 20 million births in 19 countries around the world between 1998 and 2018. The researchers evaluated medical records, looking for instances of a range of conditions in the children, including not only autism and ADHD but also learning disabilities, obsessive compulsive disorder, tics, and eating disorders.
All the above conditions were shown to occur at the same or greater risk in children who had been delivered by C-section versus vaginal births, but the difference was not statistically significant except in the cases of autism and ADHD. Those odds were frighteningly elevated, with C-section birth associated with an approximately 33 percent increased chance of being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and an approximately 17 percent increased chance of developing ADHD compared to children delivered by vaginal birth.
What’s the Connection Between C-Sections, Autism, and ADHD?
While the study was not designed to prove that C-sections cause autism and ADHD, it did provide evidence of a strong link between the procedure and these disorders. It is not entirely clear why babies delivered via C-section might be more likely to be autistic or have ADHD. One possibility has to do with the fact that babies who are delivered vaginally receive beneficial strains of bacteria from their mother’s gut during delivery and these are known to bolster a baby’s immunity. It might be a lack of these beneficial bacteria during birth that sets the stage for the development of autism and/or ADHD.
Another theory to consider is that the issue isn’t directly related to the C-section itself, but why a woman is undergoing that procedure. Oftentimes, C-sections are recommended by obstetricians if the mother-to-be has a condition like hypertension or diabetes, which may influence the development of the fetus in utero. Additionally, C-sections are sometimes born of necessity if something is going very wrong during the delivery. In those cases, it’s possible that the trauma taking place could be a precipitating factor for autism or ADHD.
A Plan for Preventing C-Sections
We need to face the fact that there are emergency situations that we cannot always foresee that might make a C-section delivery the only possible course of action. Thankfully, that is only the reality in a small percentage of deliveries. But C-sections have become far more common in the last few decades in the United States, with rates up to 32 percent of all deliveries in 2017—a nine percent increase from 2000.
It’s important to choose your obstetrician wisely, preferably before you even become pregnant. Request an interview with a doctor from the practice and come armed with questions about their thoughts on vaginal birth versus C-section, use of pain medications, and anything else of potential concern to you. Explore a few practices until you find one you feel comfortable and in-sync with on these topics. Or consider a midwife instead and plan to have your delivery at a birthing center if your pregnancy is considered low risk.
If you have to have a C-section due to medical necessity, then guarding your child’s gut and building it properly from birth is crucial to reduce their risk of developing Autism and ADHD. Starting on an infant probiotic supplement right away will begin to build their gut the right way. Research the dangers of vaccines, and make an educated decision not just what the media wants you to know. Then feed your child 100% organic eliminating as much pesticide, herbicide, and GMO exposure as possible. On a personal note, while Yalissa (our daughter) was born via C-Section due to medical reasons, we fought to guard her diet to be 100% organic, have used a daily probiotic, and guard her environmental exposures to chemicals and other toxins. As a result, she has not had any gut issues compared to so many other preemies born at her same gestational age. We are truly what we eat!
Be sure to check out our baby and toddler probiotic selection as well as organic snack and food options for not only feeding your children but your entire family on your next visit to Whitaker’s Natural Market.
