THE IMPORTANCE OF CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION IN MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

Pregnancy is a unique period where the maternal body undergoes several physiological and hormonal changes. During this period, the mother’s nutritional needs are higher so that the fetal development occurs in a healthy way. Among the most important nutrients, calcium and vitamin D stand out. The objective of this article is to evaluate the impacts of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on maternal and fetal health. The present study is characterized as a narrative review. 8 articles were verified, published in the last 10 years, selected from the National Library of Medicine (PUBMED) and Google Scholar databases. It was observed in the results that the supplementation of both calcium and vitamin D considerably reduced the occurrence of Preeclampsia and the deficiency of these nutrientes was associated with an increase in hypertensive disorders, preterm birth and low birth weight. It is concluded that the insertion of this supplementation in maternal care is an effective and accessible strategy for the prevention of obstetric complications and ensuring maternal and child health.