10 technologies predicted by Bill Gates Technology Review
A test could be offered in doctor’s offices within five years (predicting premature births, not preventing them!)
15 million babies are born prematurely every year; it’s the leading cause of death for children under age 5
Pre-term birth - many of risk factors are associated with low vitamin D has the following
*Preterm birth rate reduced by vitamin D – 78 percent if non-white, 39 percent if white – July 2017 Baggerly etc.
- Vitamin D Webinar - cost of pre-term birth etc- Baggerly Nov 2013
$2,590 reduction in cost of each pregnancy just due to reduction in preterm birth - Preterm birth rate reduced by 43 percent with adequate Vitamin D supplementation – meta-analysis Feb 2017
- Preterm infants more likely to have vitamin D levels below 20 ng – Feb 2014
- Chance of preterm birth is strongly associated with low vitamin D – Feb 2015
- Why higher levels of vitamin D reduces premature birth - April 2011 Dr. Grant
- High risk of extremely premature birth if high BMI (low vitamin D) – June 2013
- Preterm birth rate reduced 57 percent by Vitamin D – Nov 2015 authors include Baggerly and Wagner
- Pre-term births reduced in half if 40 ng of vitamin D in 3rd trimester – Nov 2014 authors include Bagggerly and Wagner
- Pregnant women will get Vitamin D – going beyond clinical trials - March 2015 project by Wagner and Baggerly
- Premature birth 2.5X more likely if mother had low vitamin D and was having twins – July 2013
- Premature birth and infant mortality worse if dark skin (low vitamin D) - 2015
- No preemie had even 30 ng of vitamin D, lower D associated with more Respiratory Distress – Aug 2013
- Preemies 2.5 X more likely to get hip replacement etc. (low vitamin D) – Nov 2014
- The more preterm the birth, the lower the vitamin D level (both mothers and infants) – Feb 2014
Women are nine times more likely to give birth early if they have a multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets)[7]
An interval of less than 6 months between pregnancies [7]
[7] Mayo Clinic. Premature birth. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/premature-birth/basics/risk-factors/con-20020050 (2014, accessed 9 December 2014).
Vitamin D Receptor is a major factor in preterm births - see following
Preterm birth problems if poor Vitamin D Receptor
| Risk increase | Health Problem | |
| 34 | Preterm birth seems too large | |
| 3.3 | Pre-term birth | |
http://www.statisticbrain.com/premature-birth-statistics/
2<6 weeks 80 % survive, but
Develop a severe disability (cerebral palsy) 22 %
Develop a moderate disability (special needs) 24 %
Develop a mild disability (low IQ, vision) 34 %
http://www.marchofdimes.org/research/vitamin-d-to-combat-preterm-birth.aspx
2X more preterm birth if black skin
[http://www.naprotechnology.com/prevention.htm|Prevention of Preterm Birth] recent increase in preterm birth rate
Healthy pregnancies need lots of vitamin D in VitaminDWiki has the following summary
Problem | Vit. D Reduces | Evidence |
| 0. Chance of not conceiving | 3.4 times | Observe |
| 1. Miscarriage | 2.5 times | Observe |
| 2. Pre-eclampsia | 3.6 times | RCT |
| 3. Gestational Diabetes | 3 times | RCT |
| 4. Good 2nd trimester sleep quality | 3.5 times | Observe |
| 5. Premature birth | 2 times | RCT |
| 6. C-section - unplanned | 1.6 times | Observe |
| Stillbirth - OMEGA-3 | 4 times | RCT - Omega-3 |
| 7. Depression AFTER pregnancy | 1.4 times | RCT |
| 8. Small for Gestational Age | 1.6 times | meta-analysis |
| 9. Infant height, weight, head size within normal limits | RCT | |
| 10. Childhood Wheezing | 1.3 times | RCT |
| 11. Additional child is Autistic | 4 times | Intervention |
| 12.Young adult Multiple Sclerosis | 1.9 times | Observe |
| 13. Preeclampsia in young adult | 3.5 times | RCT |
| 14. Good motor skills @ age 3 | 1.4 times | Observe |
| 15. Childhood Mite allergy | 5 times | RCT |
| 16. Childhood Respiratory Tract visits | 2.5 times | RCT |
RCT = Randomized Controlled Trial