With all the current pregnancies in our church, I thought I'd look into some of the disorders that may arise during a pregnancy. I also looked at vitamins and minerals, and their affect, both good and bad, on pregnant women. One such order that I've found is Preeclampsia, which from at least one study showed that all the women suffering from this disorder had low levels of vitamin d and omega-3.
What is Preeclampsia?
According to the Preeclampsia website, "Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms." [1]
The exact causes of Preeclampsia remain unclear, although researchers suspect poor nutrition, high body fat, immune deficiencies, and insufficient blood flow to the uterus, with ethnicity and heredity seen as possible factors.
Hopes have been raised for a number of possible preventive factors – including antioxidant vitamins and chocolate – but these indications were not supported by subsequent research (Triche EW et al. 2008; Rumbold A et al. 2008; Klebanoff MA et al. 2009). [2]
Can low vitamin D levels have an affect on women during their pregnancy?
A recent study conducted in Norway showed that "nulliparous women who develop Preeclampsia had low concentrations of vitamin D in serum sampled in mid-pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to estimate the association between intake of vitamin D during pregnancy and the risk of Preeclampsia in 23,423 nulliparous pregnant women taking part in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study." [3]
The findings in the study may not be conclusive, however, it did show that women who had Preeclampsia, did have a lower level of vitamin d. "The findings are consistent with other reports of a protective effect of vitamin D on Preeclampsia development. However, because vitamin D intake is highly correlated with the intake of long chain n-3 fatty acids in the Norwegian diet, further research is needed to disentangle the separate effects of these nutrients." [3]
Because of the high consumption of fish in the Norwegian diet, researchers also noted that the women who reported higher vitamin D intake also reported higher omega-3 intake (from food and/or pills). This makes sense, given that fish are by far the best food sources of both nutrients.
You may have heard that omega-3 essential fatty acids are an important part of your diet, and so is vitamin d. Whether you are pregnant or not, eating healthy foods and taking a daily supplement is the key to good health.
A good source of vitamin d is TriVita's VitaCal-Mag D, which provides, five forms of chelated calcium, over 20 bone-fortifying vitamins and minerals, 100% RDI of Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin D, and Chlorophyll-coated tablets that protect valuable nutrients, time-releasing optimal absorption.
And a good source of omega-3 is TriVita's Omega Prime, which meet the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines. One daily dose of Omega Prime provides the amount of Omega-3 recommended by the AHA for healthy individuals, as well as for those who have heart disease or the risk of it.
To learn more about TriVita's VitaCal-Mag D, go to TriVita Products and click on the Vitamin D link.
Jeffrey Sloe
440-725-3729
jeff@internetmarketingadvisors.net
TriVita Independent Business Affiliate, 12871028
Vitamin D
Sources:
[1] http://www.Preeclampsia.org/about.asp
[2] Triche EW, Grosso LM, Belanger K, Darefsky AS, Benowitz NL, Bracken MB. Chocolate consumption in pregnancy and reduced likelihood of Preeclampsia. Epidemiology. 2008 May;19(3):459-64.
[3] http://journals.lww.com/epidem/Abstract/2009/09000/Vitamin_D_Supplementation_and_Reduced_Risk_of.18.aspx
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