Stillbirth rates dropped from 4.1% to 2.8% as Finland increased Vitamin D fortification – May 2022

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VITAMIN D AND STILLBIRTH -OP No. 20

Anticancer Research May 2024, 44 (5) 2249-2268; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21873/anticanres.17034
Presented at Proceedings of the Joint International Symposia: Vitamin D in Prevention and Therapy and Biologic Effects of Light May 04-06, 2022 Schlossberg Hotel, Homburg/Saar, Germany
Pelle G. Lindqvist Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

Background/Aim: Two retrospective studies of prospective cohorts showed doubled odds of birth asphyxia among women with low plasma vitamin D levels and one reported a 4-fold increase in the odds of stillbirth. It was not known if this was caused by low sun exposure or by vitamin D per se.

Patients and Methods: The stillbirth rate, including all pregnancies in Finland and Sweden between 1994 to 2021 (n>4 million), was analysed. Due to 50% of the population having low plasma vitamin D, Finland implemented an extensive National Vitamin D fortification program in 2003, which was doubled in 2009 due to an insufficient effect. After 2009, only 10% had low vitamin D levels. Stillbirth rates were compared using cross-tabulation with 95% confidence intervals.

Results: Stillbirth rate decreased from 4.1% before 2003 to 3.2% to 2.% after 2009. Meanwhile, the Swedish stillbirth rate remained constant at 3.9% untill 2018 when the Finish fortification was implemented in Sweden. Thereafter, it decreased to 3.2%. All results had p<0.001.

Conclusion: In our large study of National vitamin D fortification, improved vitamin D status was associated with a lower stillbirth rate in a dose-dependent manner.

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VitaminDWiki - Stillbirth reduced by Vitamin D, Zinc, Omega-3 - several studies

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VitaminDWiki - 5 studies in both categories Pregnancy and Fortification

This list is automatically updated

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VitaminDWiki - Pregnancy category contains

889 items in Pregnancy category

 - see also

• Overview Pregnancy and vitamin D
• Number of articles in both categories of Pregnancy and:Dark Skin 28;   Depression 21;   Diabetes 44;   Obesity 15;  Hypertension 44;   Breathing 35;  Omega-3 40;  Vitamin D Receptor 24 Click here for details
• All items in category Infant/Child 830 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: 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 136 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

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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VitaminDwiki – Fortification with Vitamin D contains

133 items in Fortification category

Fortification works, even if food is cooked, but govts rarely fortifiy with enough
Govts, food producers, and families can fortify:
   milk,   yogurt,   beer,   bread,  cereals,  cooking oil,  soups,  jams,   jellys,   honey,   snack bars, etc.
Some interesting fortification articles

• Biofortification with Vitamin D - several studies
• Vitamin D fortification in Europe preventing 27,000 Cancer deaths, could prevent 129,000 – May 2022
• Vitamin D fortification could eliminate 1 in 10 Cancer deaths in the EU – May 2022
• After years of adding vitamin D, Finland now has 38 ng levels - March 2022
• Fortification with Vitamin D works – 16 studies of Danish experience – July 2021
• Vitamin D fortification of beverages – Review March 2022
• Bread fortified with Vitamin D - many studies 13+ studies
• International Conference of Vitamin D Fortification of Food (India) – Sept 2018
• 2400 IU of vitamin D needed to get most Northern adults above 20 ng – June 2020
• Vitamin D home fortification- don't wait 100 years for your govt

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VitaminDwiki – Change of Vitamin D Fortification in Denmark contains

• 60 percent more life births after infertility diagnosis if Vitamin D fortification (Denmark) - Nov 2019
• Vitamin D food fortification during pregnancy reduced gestational diabetes in daughters by 13 percent – Nov 2018
• Vitamin D added to margarine reduced inflammatory bowel disease by 13 percent 30 years later – Nov 2019
• Preeclampsia of offspring cut in half if mother who smoked had vitamin D fortified margarine – Dec 2017
• Danish study of childhood diseases vs vitamin D fortification – May 2013
• 9 studies by Denmak D-Tech group (fortifiy Margarine with Vitamin D) online as of Nov 2019