Reviewed by The Mom Store editorial team, October 2026. See our editorial policy.
Vitamin D helps your body control calcium and phosphate, which keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need 10 micrograms (400 IU) a day according to the NHS guide to vitamins and supplements in pregnancy, and breastfed babies need their own supplement too. Living in a sunny country does not guarantee you get enough.
Why sunshine is not always enough in India
Your skin makes vitamin D when sunlight falls on it. The NHS lists the groups most likely to fall short, and many Indian women fit at least one of them:
- darker skin, including people of south Asian origin
- covering most of your skin when you go out
- spending most of the day indoors
Late pregnancy and the first months with a baby can mean long stretches at home, so the last point may apply to you for a while even if it usually does not. The NHS says people in these groups may need a supplement all year round and should ask their midwife or doctor.
What vitamin D does, and what happens without it
The NHS page on vitamin D explains that a lack of it can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children, and to bone pain caused by osteomalacia in adults.
You may have read that vitamin D prevents preterm birth, gestational diabetes or postnatal depression. The evidence is less certain than that. The WHO review of vitamin D supplements in pregnancy found that low vitamin D has been linked to some pregnancy problems, and supplements may lower the risk of pre eclampsia, low birthweight and preterm birth, but the evidence is limited. For that reason WHO does not recommend vitamin D supplements for every pregnant woman to improve pregnancy outcomes. Taking a standard daily dose for your own bone health, as the NHS advises, is a separate question, and a good one to raise with your doctor.
Food sources
Only a few foods contain vitamin D, and the NHS notes that it is hard to get enough from food alone. Sources include:
- oily fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines (no more than two portions a week in pregnancy)
- egg yolks
- red meat
- fortified foods, such as some breakfast cereals and fat spreads
Liver also contains vitamin D but should be avoided in pregnancy. If your family is vegetarian, fortified foods and a supplement matter more, since most natural sources are animal foods.
Your baby needs vitamin D too
The American Academy of Pediatrics advice on vitamin D and iron recommends 400 IU (10 micrograms) of vitamin D a day for breastfed and partially breastfed babies up to their first birthday. Babies who drink more than about 800 ml of vitamin D fortified formula a day do not need extra. Ask your paediatrician which drops to use and when to start.
Too much is harmful
More is not better. The NHS advises adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, not to take more than 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) a day, and babies under 12 months no more than 25 micrograms (1,000 IU) a day. Over time, too much vitamin D raises calcium levels in the blood, which can weaken bones and damage the kidneys and heart.
High dose sachets and capsules, often 60,000 IU, are easy to buy at Indian chemists. Take them only if a doctor has prescribed them for you, and never give an adult supplement to a baby.
When to talk to your doctor
- At your first antenatal visit, to ask whether you need a supplement and how much.
- If you have ongoing bone pain.
- Before starting any high dose supplement, or if you are already taking calcium or other vitamins and are not sure what they add up to.
- At your baby's first check up, to ask about vitamin D drops.
This article updates an earlier post by Shruti Roy, a writer and mother based in Ghaziabad.
This article is general information and does not replace advice from your doctor.
