Vitamin D and risk of preterm birth: Up‐to‐date meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies
Abstract
Aim: We performed a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) and observational studies to answer the two following questions: (i) whether low maternal circulating 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25‐OHD) is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (PTB) or spontaneous PTB (sPTB); and (ii) whether vitamin D supplementation alone during pregnancy can reduce the risk of PTB. Methods: Literature search was carried out using Pubmed, Web of Science and Embase databases up to June 2016. Pooled OR or relative risk (RR) with 95%CI were computed using fixed or random effects models depending on the size of heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis was used to explore potential sources of between‐study heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's test and Begg's test. Results: Twenty‐four articles (six RCT and 18 observational studies) were identified. Maternal circulating 25‐OHD deficiency (pooled OR, 1.25; 95%CI: 1.13–1.38) rather than insufficiency (pooled OR, 1.09; 95%CI: 0.89–1.35) was associated with an increased risk of PTB, and vitamin D supplementation alone during pregnancy could reduce the risk of PTB (pooled RR, 0.57; 95%CI: 0.36–0.91). This was also the case for the sPTB subgroup (circulating 25‐OHD <50 vs >50 nmol/L; pooled OR, 1.45; 95%CI: 1.20–1.75). Conclusions: Maternal circulating 25‐OHD deficiency could increase PTB risk and vitamin D supplementation alone during pregnancy could reduce PTB risk. Extrapolation of the results, however, must be done with caution, and there is urgent need for larger, better‐designed RCT to confirm this effect.
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The vaginal microbiome might mediate a link between PTB risk and vitamin D deficiency.
“suggesting that the vaginal microbiome might mediate a link between PTB risk and vitamin D deficiency64.”
From The Integrative Human Microbiome Project (2019) · cites this paper as [64]
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The Integrative HMP (iHMP) Research Network Consortium, Proctor, L. M., Creasy, H. H., Fettweis, J. M., Lloyd-Price, J., Mahurkar, A., Zhou, W., Buck, G. A., Snyder, M. P., Strauss, J. F., et al. (2019) · Nature · doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1238-8 · Cited by 1,381 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Zhou, S., Tao, Y., Huang, K., Zhu, B., & Tao, F.
- Affiliations
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Anhui Medical University Hefei China
- Anhui Medical University (CN)
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics Anhui Medical University Hefei China
- Corresponding author
- Tao, Yong‐Hao
- ORCID
- Huang, Kun
- Venue
- Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2017-02
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 247-256
- ISSN
- 1341-8076 (ISSN-L)
- 1447-0756
- OpenAlex
- W2584225803
- Cited by
- 122
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 4
- FWCI
- 2.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Vitamin D Research Studies
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Vitamin K Research Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Keywords
- vitamin D, preterm birth, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplementation, pregnancy, spontaneous preterm birth
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Female, Humans, Vitamin D, Vitamin D Deficiency, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Premature Birth, Observational Studies as Topic
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