1 in 3 have a Postpartum health problem (many are associated with low Vitamin D) - Dec 2023

Neglected medium-term and long-term consequences of labour and childbirth: a systematic analysis of the burden, recommended practices, and a way forward

Lancet Glob Health 2023 https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00454-0
Prof Joshua P Vogel, PhD
Jenny Jung, MIPH
Tina Lavin, PhD
Grace Simpson, MD
Dvora Kluwgant, MD
Edgardo Abalos, MD

Neglected medium-term and long-term complications arising from labour and childbirth
Over the past three decades, substantial progress has been made in reducing maternal mortality worldwide. However, the historical focus on mortality reduction has been accompanied by comparative neglect of labour and birth complications that can emerge or persist months or years postnatally. This paper addresses these overlooked conditions, arguing that their absence from the global health agenda and national action plans has led to the misconception that they are uncommon or unimportant. The historical limitation of postnatal care services to the 6 weeks after birth is also a contributing factor. We reviewed epidemiological data on medium-term and long-term complications arising from labour and childbirth beyond 6 weeks, along with high-quality clinical guidelines for their prevention, identification, and treatment. We explore the complex interplay of human evolution, maternal physiology, and inherent predispositions that contribute to these complications. We offer actionable recommendations to change the current trajectories of these neglected conditions and help achieve the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 3. This paper is the third in a Series of four papers about maternal health in the perinatal period and beyond.
 Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
Problems include

• Pain during sexual intercourse (35%),
• Low back pain (32%),
• urinary incontinence (8% to 31%),
• anxiety (9% to 24%),
• anal incontinence (19%),
• depression (11% to 17%),
• fear of childbirth (6% to 15%),
• perineal pain (11%), and
• secondary infertility (11%).

Other problems included

• pelvic organ prolapse,
• posttraumatic stress disorder,
• thyroid dysfunction,
• mastitis,
• HIV seroconversion (when the body begins to produce detectable levels of HIV antibodies),
• nerve injury, and
• psychosis.

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8+ VitaminDWiki pages have POSTPARTUM in the title

This list is automatically updated

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VitaminDWiki - Pregnancy category contains

922 items in Pregnancy category

 - see also

• Overview Pregnancy and vitamin D
• Number of articles in both categories of Pregnancy and:Dark Skin 30;   Depression 21;   Diabetes 44;   Obesity 17;  Hypertension 44;   Breathing 35;  Omega-3 44;  Vitamin D Receptor 24 Click here for details
• All items in category Infant/Child 854 items
• Pregnancy needs at least 40 ng of vitamin D, achieved by at least 4,000 IU – Hollis Aug 2017
• 38+ papers with Breastfed etc, in the title
• Call to action – more Vitamin D for pregnancies, loading doses are OK – Holick Aug 2019
• 53+ preeclampsia studies
• 94+ studies with PRETERM in the title
• Fertility problem (PCOS) reduced by vitamin D, etc: many studies 15+
• 94+ Gestational Diabetes
• Caesarean birth much more likely if low Vitamin D - many studies 15+ studies
• Post-partum depression and low Vitamin D - many studies 15+ studies
• Stillbirth reduced by Vitamin D, Zinc, Omega-3 - several studies 5+ studies
• Search VitaminDWiki for "Assisted reproduction" 33 items as of Aug 2022
• Fertility and Sperm category listing has 142 items along with related searches
• (Stunting OR “low birth weight” OR LBW) 1180 items as of June 2020
• Less labor pain if higher level of vitamin D – August 2021
• Healthy pregnancies need lots of vitamin D
• Ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby - take Vitamin D before conception
  

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VitaminDWiki – Healthy pregnancies need lots of vitamin D contains

Most were taking 2,000 to 7,000 IU daily for >50% of pregnancy
   Click on hyperlinks for details

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

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Having enough Vitamin D is important for women

• Vitamin D is indispensable for the health of women - editorial June 2022
• ALL of the top 10 health problems of women are associated with low vitamin D

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VitaminDWiki – Pain - chronic category contains:

168 items in category Chronic pain

See also

• Overview Pain and Vitamin D
• Percentage of people with pain increased 25 percent in 18 years – Jan 2019
• Pain not reduced by 60,000 IU monthly vitamin D (need 50,000 IU weekly) – RCT Aug 2023
• Overview Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue and vitamin D
• Overview Rheumatoid Arthritis and vitamin D
• Shingles and vitamin D
• Shin splints decrease with vitamin D
• Migraine and Vitamin D
• Headache category 82 items
• "musculoskeletal pain" 490 items as of Aug 2023
• "chronic fatigue" 240 items have it in title or abstract as of Dec 2024
• Category Back Pain 44 items
• 7 pain studies in VitaminDWiki with KNEE in the title as of Aug 2023 (see below)
• Opioid OR Opiate OR Morphine in the title 14 pages as of Dec 2024