Vitamin D Deficiency and Placental Calcification in Low-risk Obstetric Population - Are They Related?

Vitamin D deficiency is a public health problem prevalent throughout the World. Low blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 ( 25OHD ) level was found to be associated with preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, infectious diseases, decrease in fetal bone mineralization, and increase in fetal respiratory infections and infant wheezing [1].

Requirement of vitamin D is primarily met by the exposure of skin to sun and secondarily by intake of food. The provision of vitamin D from the skin depends upon melanin pigment, the use of sun screens, age, dressing style and seasonal changes [1]. Placenta plays an important role in Vitamin D metabolism during pregnancy and some independent risk factors increasing the risk of placental dysfunction at fetomaternal interface also influence vitamin D metabolism [2,3]. Nevertheless, there can be a pathological change resulting from the effects of environmental factors on the placenta .