TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A study published on published in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology hints that lack of Vitamin D during the pregnancy potentially resulting in a premature birth. That finding held true even after the researchers accounted for other factors linked to preterm birth, such as overweight and obesity, and smoking.

"Mothers who were deficient in vitamin D in early parts of pregnancy were more likely to deliver early, preterm, than women who did not have vitamin D deficiency," said Lisa Bodnar, associate professor of epidemiology and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Pittsburgh, as quoted by WebMD.

Bodnar said that there is no universally There is no universally agreed upon definition of deficient vitamin D levels. In general, according to the NIH, levels below 30 nmol/L (nanomoles per liter) are too low for good health, while levels of 50 nmol/L are probably sufficient for most people. The Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board suggests that pregnant women should get 600 international units (IUs) of vitamin D daily.

The body naturally produces vitamin D after exposure to sunlight. Few foods such as fatty fish, such as salmon or sardines, are good sources of Vitamin D.

Early birth can cause a number of problems, including issues in the lungs, brain, eyes, ears, and the digestive and immune systems, according to the March of Dimes.

RIZAL