Abstract Body: Aims
Women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk for impaired cardiovascular health (CVH) during pregnancy and may face a higher likelihood of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Our study explored the possible protective effects of vitamin D supplementation on cardiovascular health in pregnant women and offspring, focusing on GDM status.
Methods and Results
We randomly assigned women with a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration <75 nmol/L during gestational weeks 24-28 to receive 1200 IU/d of vitamin D₃ or the recommended 400-600 IU/d for two months. These groups were subdivided based on their GDM status: vitamin D + GDM, vitamin D + non-GDM, control + GDM, and control + non-GDM. There were 1563 participants. Women in the vitamin D + GDM group had lower concentrations of total cholesterol (mean difference with 95 % confidence interval [CI]: [-0.38 (-0.64, -0.12) mmol/L]), triglycerides [-0.34 (-0.61, -0.09) mmol/L], hypersensitive C-reactive protein [-0.82 (-1.55, -0.10) mg/L], and systolic blood pressure [-1.97 (-3.66, -0.14) mm Hg] than the control + GDM group after supplementation. Women in the vitamin D + GDM group had less severe gestational CVH than those in the control + GDM group, indicated by the gestational CVH score, the number of women with all “ideal” CVH metrics, and the mean ten-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk prediction (P < 0.05). The macrosomia prevalence and the cord blood hypersensitive C-reactive protein concentration were significantly decreased in the vitamin D + GDM group.
Conclusion
Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy might improve CVH in women with GDM and their offspring, which is beneficial for the primary prevention of CVD later in life.