Nearly 5 out of 6 pregnant women have low vitamin D levels that may increase risks for them and their unborn babies, GrassrootsHealth — a vitamin D action group — announced in a press statement today.

“When a solution to as much as one half of the pain and anxiety of a troubled pregnancy is demonstrably safe and easy to obtain, it’s urgent to pull together all the resources we need to get action right now, without delay” Carole Baggerly, director of GrassrootsHealth, said in the press statement. “Based on published research by Hollis & Wagner, an astonishing 82% of pregnant women were considered vitamin D deficient. It took 4000 IU/day of vitamin D to get women to the D-action recommended level of 40 ng/ml and, over the 6 year period of the study, supplementing at this level was shown to be safe.”

GrassrootsHealth has launched a community-based program to raise vitamin D levels in pregnant women. To read the press announcement click here.