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Review
. 2012 May 1;3(3):353-61.
doi: 10.3945/an.111.000950.

Maternal vitamin D status: effect on milk vitamin D content and vitamin D status of breastfeeding infants

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Review

Maternal vitamin D status: effect on milk vitamin D content and vitamin D status of breastfeeding infants

Adekunle Dawodu et al. Adv Nutr. .

Abstract

There are increasing reports of rickets and vitamin D deficiency worldwide. Breastfeeding without adequate sunlight exposure and vitamin D supplementation are the major risk factors. In view of the drive to promote and increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding, the relationship among maternal vitamin D status, vitamin D concentration of human milk, and hence vitamin D status of breastfeeding infants deserves reassessment. This review provides current information on the interrelationship between maternal vitamin D status and the vitamin D status of the breastfeeding infant. It also reviews the results of ongoing research on the effect of high-dose maternal vitamin D supplementation alone as a possible option to prevent vitamin D deficiency in the breastfeeding mother-infant dyad.

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Conflict of interest statement

Author disclosures: A. Dawodu and R. C. Tsang, no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
International comparison of recent studies of vitamin D deficiency using recommended cutoff values (24). There is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D <50 nmol/L) globally. Very low vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D <25–30 nmol/L) appears also to be widespread. Adapted with permission from (31).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Milk antirachitic activity (mean ± SEM) over time in lactating mothers receiving 2000 IU/d (n = 9) or 4000 IU/d (n = 9) of vitamin D. Whole-milk samples were evaluated for vitamin D antirachitic activity from measurements of vitamin D-2, vitamin D-3, 25-hydroxyvitamin D-2, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D-3 concentrations in the milk. The values were converted to antirachitic activity (IU/L) using reference from biological activity assays. Reproduced with permission from (18).

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References

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