Investigating the effect of vitamin D consumption on the prevention ofpostpartum depression

Background: Postpartum depression is a hazardous issue that can significantly impact one'squality of life. One of the contributing factors to this problem is the deficiency of certain vitaminsand micronutrients. Therefore, the objective of our study is to investigate the effect of vitamin Din preventing postpartum depression.Materials and Methods: This review study was conducted by analyzing articles from variousdatabases such as PubMed, Magiran, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science. The search wasconducted from ۲۰۱۸ to ۲۰۲۳, and a total of ۲۸ articles were initially collected. After carefulscreening, ۱۵ eligible articles were included in the final compilation. The study focused onpostpartum depression, depression, vitamin D, and calcium, and included both foreign anddomestic sources.Result: Research has shown that vitamin D may have a role in regulating mood and preventingpostpartum depression. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that, when deficient, can lead to mentalproblems and depression. Vitamin D has been found to contribute to the production of tryptophan,a precursor to serotonin. Therefore, if tryptophan production is decreased, serotonin levels mayalso decrease, leading to an increased risk of depression. Additionally, vitamin D deficiency maycause a decrease in calcium levels in the body, which can increase the risk of postpartumdepression.Conclusion: As mentioned, taking vitamin D in pregnant women reduces the possibility ofpostpartum depression. so, it is suggested to screen vitamin D levels during pregnancy and afterpregnancy

Keywords:

depression , vitamin D , calcium , postpartum depression