The sunshine vitamin ( vitamin D3 ) plays a crucial role in women’s health. It is synthesized in skin under ultra - violet exposure. This biosynthesis will be inadequate in poor dietary intake or exposure to sunlight.

•  Deficiency occurs due to fat malabsorption, anticonvulsant use , Chronic Kidney disease , obesity , dark skinned people , people from areas with thicker ozone layer , women using  sun-screen lotions & people from urban areas .

• Rich sources of vitamin - D→ cod liver oil , salmon and sardines , fortified  milk , egg , fortified yoghurt , fortified soy products , mushrooms , oysters , fortified cereals .

• Exposure → Minimum - 400 IU ( 10 ng ) 

                           →  Maximum - 2,000 IU    

                           →RAD  for pregnant women - 200 IU/day .

• Vitamin - D status indicator in body - serum concentration of 25 - hydroxyvitamin -D as it is major circulating form of vitamin in body .

• Traditional role of calcium in body - calcium metabolism and bone mineral metabolism . It works with parathyroid hormones , acts on kidneys , bone , intestine and influence gene expression , maintains  calcium and phosphorous homeostasis .

• Emerging roles of vitamin - D→

→ Cell differentiation , proliferation and immune function .

→ Prevention/ treatment of some forms of cancer , osteoporosis , rheumatoid arthritis multiple sclerosis , hypertension , cardiovascular disease , obesity , psoriasis , and psychiatric diseases 

• Role of Vitamin - D in pregnancy → 

With pregnancy there can be calcium loss due to foetal demands  and increased urinary calcium excretion rate of vitamin - D deficiency  are more with women with darker pigmentation and women who have limited access to sunlight or outdoor activity. 

Type of clothing , cultural practices , thorough use of sunscreen.

Women including pregnant women with BMI > 30 are at increased risk of vitamin -D deficiency due to obesity .

Pregnant women with serum level of 25-OH vit.-D<75 nmol/2 are considered vit.-D deficient and should receive higher dose upto 1000 IU.

If this higher dose didnot work then they should be checked for celiac disease.

Infants bone to vitamin - D deficient mothers will be vitamin - D deficient & require supplementation in form of cholecalciferol bolus (50,000IU) to prevent rickets .

Role of Vitamin - D in other diseases →

→ Increased vitamin - D levels improve muscle performance and thus reduce muscle weakness .

→ Skin exposure to vr-rays has been linked with lower blood pressure.

→ Multiple sclerosis prevalent in temperate  climates is associated with lower serum vitamin - D levels and vitamin - D supplementation may have a preventive role in multiple sclerosis .

→ The higher the vitamin - D level , lower the risk of cancer .

→ Vitamin - D act as immunosuppressant in rheumatoid arthritis .

→ Tuberculosis is associated with lower vitamin - D levels.

→ Social vulnerability of fairer sex is associated with lower vitamin - D levels .