COVID-19 Infections and Vitamin D Deficiency in Pregnancy

Abstract

Corona virus disease COVID-19 has been a global health threat since November 2019. It has been reported as 6 th cause of global public health emergency by World Health Organisation on January 2020. Serum cholecalciferol or calcidiol is the prime marker for the vitamin D status of a person. It has also been gaining importance in prevention of COVID-19 disease severity. Vitamin D has proven cellular level modulation in both the adaptive and innate immune system through cytokines and regulation of cell signalling pathways. This vitamin has been observed to be lower than the optimal levels in pregnancy. The foetal demand for the vitamin increases during the early embryogenesis hence it is reported lowest in the first trimester. It has been noted to increase gradually during second trimester and reaches sufficient limits in third trimester. There is a compensation of serum cholecalciferol levels in third trimester due to the placental secreting receptors. This review analyses the immunomodulatory property of serum cholecalciferol and its effect on T regulatory cell count which is the predicting tool for disease severity in COVID-19.

Risk Factor of Vitamin-D Deficiency in Pregnant Women with COVID-19 Infection: Comprehensive Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

“…Since vitamin D has immune-stimulating and antiinflammatory properties, adequate serum levels in vulnerable populations, such as pregnancy, may reduce the transmission of COVID-19 [8]. This is because vitamin D has immune-stimulating and antiinflammatory properties.…”

“…Academics, health planners, and treating clinicians must prioritize research on the level of vitamin D serum and pregnant women with COVID-19 infection because recent epidemiologic studies found a significant correlation between the blood vitamin D serum and the number of COVID-19 fatalities per million [6]. The results of studies on vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women with COVID-19 infection provide evidence-based risk factors [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. This study aimed to examine vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women with COVID-19 infection and determine whether it may be involved in the etiology or pathogenesis of the disease.…”