Vitamin D and Your Fertility

"From conception to birth, the sunshine vitamin plays a role in our fertility, pregnancy and the lifelong health outcomes of our children"

Vitamin D is well known to have a major effect on bone and muscle health and is emerging as a major vitamin in disease prevention, regulating inflammation and healthy immunity. Known as the sunshine vitamin as Vit D is synthesised in your skin from UVB rays becoming a metabolically active hormone following its stimulation from the liver and kidneys. It then goes to work attaching to any of the 200+ receptors throughout the body.

Vitamin D receptors are abundant in the reproductive system including on the ovum and the head of sperm. Vitamin D is involved in many reproductive processes and is associated with improving fertility. Women with sufficient preconception Vitamin D levels are more likely to achieve pregnancy and have a healthy birth without complications.

Heading towards the end of winter is a great time to test your Vitamin D levels via the 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test. Read more about testing for vitamin D levels here.

The optimum range for whole-body health and greater chances of pregnancy is 75 to 120 nmol/L, I would highly recommend testing if you are #TTC

Vitamin D’s role in reproduction

• Vit D has a role in cell division, including the growth of sperm cells and healthy follicle formation and ovarian quality.

• It can reduce insulin resistance in women with PCOS and plays a role in preventing and treating fibroids and endometriosis.

• The immunoregulatory action supports implantation as maternal immunity has to shut down at key stages of conception and pregnancy.

• In vitro fertilization success is shown to be higher in women with appropriate reserves of vitamin D and women Ovarian response for women undergoing ovulation induction with clomiphene citrate have a better ovarian response.

• Vit D has a role in placental growth and helps the formation of skeletal development in the fetus.

• While low vitamin D status is associated with pregnancy complications; pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, low term birth weight, and server postpartum haemorrhage

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If you want to prepare for conception and ensure you are nutrient replete going into pregnancy. Book an appointment for a nutritional overview and a preconception plan tailored to your needs.

Starters Guide - Fertility Awareness Method

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