Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Nutritional Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
The current recommended dietary requirement for vitamin D intake (200 IU/d) during pregnancy and lactation is based on little, if any, scientific evidence, and as a result is clinically irrelevant with respect to maintaining nutritional vitamin D status during these demanding human conditions. Current research has shown that the actual dietary requirement during pregnancy and lactation may actually be as high as 6000 IU/d. Current data on which these new recommendations could be based are presented.