Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026

Quantification of Levator Ani Hiatus Enlargement by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Males and Females with Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Published on: April 17, 2019
Vitamin D status: a review with implications for the pelvic floor
Candace Y Parker-Autry1, Kathryn L Burgio, Holly E Richter
1Division of Urogynecology and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 619 19th Street South, 176F, Suite 10382, Birmingham, AL 35249, USA. cautry@uabmc.edu
Abstract:
Vitamin D is a micronutrient vital in calcium homeostasis and musculoskeletal function. Vitamin D insufficiency is a common variant of vitamin D deficiency that shows clinical signs of rickets and osteomalacia. The clinical significance of vitamin D insufficiency is being explored in several medical conditions. However, the most robust work suggests a role in musculoskeletal disease. The pelvic floor is a unique part of the body and the function of which is dependent on interrelationships between muscle, nerve, connective tissue, and bone. Pelvic floor disorders result when these relationships are disrupted. This paper reviews current knowledge regarding vitamin D nutritional status, the importance of vitamin D in muscle function, and how insufficient or deficient vitamin D levels may play a role in the function of the female pelvic floor.
Related Concept Videos
Connective Tissue Cell Types
Fat cells (adipocytes), smooth muscle cells (myoblasts), and bone cells (osteoblasts) are some connective tissue cell types. Some immune system cells...
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).
Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
Muscles of the Pelvic Floor and Perineum
Perineal Layer
The perineum is a diamond-shaped area below the pelvic diaphragm, divided into an anterior urogenital triangle that contains the external genitals and a posterior anal triangle housing the anus. The urogenital...
Essential Minerals for Bone Health
Calcium and Phosphorus
Calcium is a critical component of bones, especially in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Since the body cannot make calcium, it must be obtained from the diet. However, calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without...
Microbiota of the Urogenital Tract