As you try to conceive, every effort should be made to increase your chances. Sometimes this includes taking vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread issue among infertile women. Studies evaluating its effect on fertility outcomes have varied results depending on factors like dosage, administration time and frequency of supplementation.
Ovulation
Vitamin D has long been recognized for its effects on bone health, including prevention of osteoporosis. But more recently it has also become recognized for its contribution to female fertility: women with higher vitamin D levels are three times more likely to become pregnant! Researchers believe vitamin D works by increasing follicle maturation and quality oocyte development; furthermore it can assist with PCOS or endometriosis which negatively impact fertility.
Studies have demonstrated that vitamin D can facilitate ovulation at a cellular level by increasing AMH production, FSH sensitivity, and progesterone production. Furthermore, Vitamin D has also been proven to alleviate symptoms associated with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome).
Vitamin D can also block inflammatory cytokines like TNF alpha and IL-6 that contribute to miscarriage, as calcitriol (the active form of Vitamin D) suppresses these pro-miscarriage cytokines in human trophoblast cells.
Studies have also demonstrated that optimal Vitamin D levels can enhance intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) results. This is because they increase motility and decrease apoptosis rates among sperm cells – factors which influence successful fertilization. Furthermore, women with higher vitamin D levels tend to experience greater embryo implantation rates and clinical pregnancy rates after IVF treatments.
Egg Quality
Vitamin D plays an essential role in producing hormones that regulate ovulation and menstruation. Research shows that low levels of vitamin D have been associated with poor ovarian reserve and reduced AMH, both of which can negatively impact fertility. Vitamin D may also play a part in determining egg quality.
Early in a pregnancy, the uterus produces active forms of vitamin D (calcitriol) in response to embryo implantation. This binding binds with its receptor and controls genes involved in producing estrogen; providing adequate supplies may improve implantation rates and lower risks like chorioamnionitis.
Studies demonstrate the association between high levels of vitamin D and increased sperm motility and improved IVF outcomes, and fallopian tube health promotion by decreasing inflammation and fibrosis, and IVF success rates.
Women trying to conceive should test their Vitamin D levels. Many women are deficient in this vitamin, and increasing it may help increase ovulation and fertility. Vitamin D can be found in food such as fatty fish, eggs, dairy products, orange juice and certain breakfast cereals containing fortifications containing D. Supplementation may be available but please check with your healthcare provider first before doing so.
Placental Function
Vitamin D is an integral component of placental health and fertility. Studies have revealed that women who take supplements of vitamin D in preconception stage experience less miscarriage risk, and better chances of conception during IVF, likely because vitamin D acts as an immune modulator by correcting any imbalances that might hinder fertility.
Ashley, Simner et al found that vitamin D caused epigenetic changes that altered how placenta responded to this compound and its metabolites; these results differed dramatically from what had been seen in maternal circulation, suggesting that vitamin D has more of an influence than just passing through to take effect on placenta cells passively.
The placenta plays an essential role in providing its fetuses with ample quantities of vitamin D metabolites to facilitate optimal development during gestation. SWS placentas appear to prioritize maternal supply when it comes to vitamin D metabolite transfer, with increased transfer occurring for SWS placentas as maternal supply waned and correlations between maternal 13C-24,25(OH)2D3 levels and fetal size suggesting it has an active part to play in adapting fetuses to gestation.
Vitamin D’s impact on fertility is also evident through its effect on uterine fibroids. Fibroid tumors have long been linked to infertility and miscarriage, often as the result of hormonal imbalances like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Research indicates that low vitamin D levels contribute to their formation – treating vitamin D deficiency can significantly lower growth of fibroids while improving your chances of having a successful pregnancy.
Sperm Quality
Vitamin D is not only essential to overall health, but it is also an integral component of fertility. Men taking Vitamin D see an improvement in sperm quality due to an increase in testosterone concentration while aromatase (an enzyme which attacks sperm cells) decreases. Furthermore, vitamin D increases motility. For women however, taking Vitamin D improves both uterine lining quality as well as fertility markers; both among healthy individuals as well as those suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
Vitamin D levels can be naturally increased through eating foods rich in this nutrient, such as fatty fish, egg yolks, fortified cereals and dairy products. Exposure to sunlight also boosts Vitamin D production – although people with darker complexions require longer sun exposure periods in order to produce as much of this hormone as those with lighter complexions.
Studies have demonstrated that high vitamin D levels enhance IVF treatments’ outcomes, as it enhances survival of preantral follicles, supports AMH production and stimulates antral follicle growth. Women with PCOS who possess higher vitamin D levels are three times more likely to achieve pregnancy than those who possess lower levels.
