Pregnancy complications reduced with 4000 IU of vitamin D - 2RCT Jan 2013

Health Characteristics and Outcomes of Two Randomized Vitamin D Supplementation Trials during Pregnancy: A Combined Analysis.

J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2013 Jan 10. pii: S0960-0760(13)00006-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2013.01.002.
Wagner CL, McNeil RB, Johnson DD, Hulsey TC, Ebeling M, Robinson C, Hamilton SA, Hollis BW.
Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; Eau Claire Cooperative Health Centers, Columbia, SC. Electronic address: wagnercl@musc.edu.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and health effects of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy. Methods and Design: Datasets from two randomized clinical trials were first analyzed separately then combined for this analysis using a common data dictionary. In the NICHD trial, women were randomized to 400, 2000, or 4000 IU vitamin D(3)/day, stratified by race. In the Thrasher Research Fund trial, participants were randomized to 2000 or 4000 IU vitamin D(3)/day. Study drugs were from the same manufacturing lot for both trials. Identical questionnaires were given for comparable sociodemographics & clinical characteristics. Outcome measures were: [1] maternal and neonatal 25(OH)D achieved, and [2] maternal comorbidities of pregnancy (COP). SAS 9.3 was used for all analyses.

RESULTS: In the combined cohort, there were 110 controls, 201 in the 2000 IU group, and 193 in the 4000 IU group. No differences between groups in baseline 25(OH)D were found; however, delivery and cord blood values were greater in the 4000 IU group (p<0.0001), an effect that persisted even after controlling for race and study. A greater percent were vitamin D replete in the 4000 IU group (p<0.0001). There was a trend where the 4000 IU group had decreased rates of comorbidities of pregnancy. There was a strong association between COP and final maternal 25(OH)D; an effect that persisted even after controlling for race and study (p=0.006).

CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with 4000 IU/day was associated with lower risk of hypovitaminosis D than Control and 2000 IU groups. While not statistically significant, there was a trend toward lower rates of COP as supplementation dose increased. Maternal delivery 25(OH)D was inversely associated with any comorbidity of pregnancy, with fewer events as 25(OH)D increased. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine the mechanisms of action of such effects.

PMID: 23314242

See also VitaminDWiki

Healthy pregnancies need lots of vitamin D has the following summary
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