Role of vitamin D in maternal skeletal changes during pregnancy and lactation: a histomorphometric study

The effect of vitamin D on bone changes during the reproductive cycle in female rats has been investigated. One group of female rats was maintained on a vitamin D-deficient diet and another group of a vitamin D-replete diet from weaning. Both groups were mated with normal males and changes in their bones were determined histomorphometrically during pregnancy, lactation, and after weaning. All vitamin D-deficient rats had bone changes typical of rickets. Pregnancy caused significant reductions in mineralized tissue of trabecular and cortical bone in the vitamin D-deficient rats. Lactation caused further significant reductions in mineralized tissues of cortical and trabecular bone in both the vitamin D-deficient and vitamin D-replete animals, with the greatest changes seen at weaning. Some restoration of mineralized tissues occurred following weaning. There was an increase in tetracycline-labeled bone surface in the vitamin D-replete animals during lactation, likely due to an increase in bone formation rates. In the vitamin D-deficient animals during lactation, there was a decrease in tetracycline-labeled bone surface, likely due to severely depressed bone mineralization. These results indicate that the mobilization of calcium from bone to maintain pregnancy and lactation occurs by a mechanism independent of vitamin D.