Calcium transport in small intestine during pregnancy and lactation

The factors involved in calcium homeostasis during the mammalian reproductive cycle and specifically in the control of active calcium transport in the intestine have not been thoroughly investigated. For this reason calcium transport in the intestine was measured in vitamin D-replete and vitamin D-deficient rats during pregnancy and lactation using the everted gut sac technique. In addition the changes in the plasma concentrations of calcium and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D were measured and correlated with transport. During the later stages of pregnancy and during lactation, the concentration of calcium in the plasma is reduced 10-30%. In turn, in the vitamin D-replete rat, the concentration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in the plasma increases from a control value of 26 pg/ml to 158 pg/ml at day 14 of lactation. Calcium transport in the intestine increases late in pregnancy, peaks during lactation, and then falls to control values by 3 wk postweaning in both vitamin D-replete and D-deficient animals. These findings strengthen the established relationship between 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and active calcium transport in the intestine as well as suggest that some factor(s) independent of vitamin D is stimulating intestinal calcium transport during the reproductive cycle.