Bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginal infection in women of childbearing age, and a new study has found that it is associated with vitamin D deficiency. The disorder is treatable with antibiotics, but it can lead to premature birth and is a major cause of infant mortality.
The analysis, published in the June issue of The Journal of Nutrition, examined 209 white and 260 black pregnant women at a Pittsburgh clinic and found that more than half had vitamin D levels below 37 nanomoles per liter. A reading of 80 is generally considered adequate.
After adjusting for other factors, a vitamin D level of 50 or less was associated with a 26 percent increase in the likelihood of bacterial vaginosis, and a reading under 20 was associated with a 65 percent increased risk. About 52 percent of black women had bacterial vaginosis, compared with 27 percent of white women, and black women were almost three times as likely to be vitamin D deficient, probably because darker skin prevents adequate synthesis of the vitamin.
The lead author, Lisa M. Bodnar, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, said the study did not mean that women should be “running out and taking megadoses of vitamin D.”
“If women have concerns about vitamin D status,” she continued, “they should talk with their doctor about whether supplements are appropriate