Vitamin D deficiency and women’s reproductive health

Artymuk N.V., Tachkova O.A.

Kemerovo State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Kemerovo, Russia
Vitamin D deficiency is recorded in various populations in 80–83% of people, more often in women than in men. There is a significant influence of vitamin D deficiency on the risk of gynecological diseases, reproductive disorders, pregnancy complications and negative outcomes. Vitamin D deficiency has been proved to be associated with spermatogenesis disorders, hypogonadism, and fertility disorders in men. Women have shown the relationship between low levels of vitamin D in the blood serum and irregular menstruation, reduced ovarian reserve, and incidence of such diseases as endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, breast cancer. D-status significantly affects female fertility and live birth rates in assisted reproduction. Hypovitaminosis D in pregnant women is associated with a high incidence of miscarriages, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, bacterial vaginosis, as well as disorders of fetal growth and neurodevelopmental disorders in the newborn. The experimental model showed the anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antifibrotic and pro-apoptotic effects of vitamin D.
Conclusion. The review of the modern literature suggests that it is necessary to maintain the optimal level of vitamin D3 in the blood serum in women at all stages of life. Further studies are needed to assess the effects of vitamin D supplements during pregnancy, especially in terms of the risk of maternal adverse events.

Keywords

vitamin D deficiency
vitamin D insufficiency
D-status
fertility
reproductive health

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Received 04.03.2021

Accepted 05.03.2021

About the Authors

Natalya V. Artymuk, MD, PhD, Professor, Head of the G.A. Ushakova Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kemerovo State Medical University, Ministry of Health
of Russia. Tel.: +7(3842)73-48-56. E-mail: artymuk@gmail.com. ORCID: 0000-0001-7014-6492. 22a Voroshilova str., Kemerovo, 650056, Russian Federation.
Olga A. Tachkova, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Hospital Therapy and Clinical Pharmacology, Kemerovo State Medical University,
Ministry of Health of Russia. E-mail: ol.an.t@yandex.ru. ORCID: 0000-0002-6537-3460. 22a Voroshilova str., Kemerovo, 650056, Russian Federation.

For citation: Artymuk N.V., Tachkova O.A. Vitamin D deficiency and women’s reproductive health.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya / Obstetrics and gynecology. 2021; 3: 189-195 (in Russian)
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2021.3.189-195

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