Vitamin D supplements helped me to get pregnant”, affirms expectant mum Samantha Wallis

Husband and wife that struggled to conceive fell pregnant within just THREE MONTHS of using vitamin D oral sprays.

There was no medical reason to explain why 36-year-old Samantha Wallis was finding it difficult to conceive, and the Barnsley resident had almost given up hope of starting a family, that is, until she started supplementing the ‘sunshine vitamin’, vitamin D. “A friend suggested I tried vitamin supplements after I expressed my dismay over being unable to conceive, so both my husband and I tried a vitamin D oral spray and within three months we were pregnant,” explains Samantha.

“This was the only change that we made to our lifestyle and I honestly, hand on heart, believe that supplementing vitamins helped us conceive. I think that we had nutrients missing, so I say to everyone now, you must look at your vitamin intake.”

Recent research regarding vitamin D supplementation for preconception and pregnancy suggests that it’s important for conceiving and the delivery of healthy full-term births.

A 2018 study also showed that women who were sufficient in vitamin D were ten per cent more likely to become pregnant and 15 per cent more likely to have a live birth compared to those women with insufficient concentrations of the vitamin.

Samantha, who has her first baby on the way, continues; “I didn’t realise that being pregnant put you more at-risk of a deficiency in vitamin D and before I started trying for a baby, I wasn’t at all aware of the importance of vitamin D, or most other vitamins to be honest. I didn’t know that such a huge impact can be made just by taking a supplement.“Once I fell pregnant, I began taking a market-leading pregnancy supplement, as I believed it would provide me with all of the relevant pregnancy nutrients needed. This was three tablets, twice a day for the 30 weeks of my pregnancy, and I thought I was adequately covered. “However, after using an easy-to-use at-home testing service to check my vitamin D levels, I was shocked and disheartened to find out that my levels are insufficient, especially after I had been so proactive with my supplementation plan.

“If I’m honest, I have lost a lot of faith in using tablets and I have returned to supplementing using an oral spray, which is much more convenient – and I know it works.”

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommend that pregnant and breastfeeding women take a vitamin D supplement of at least 400 IU per day. Contrastingly, a study published in JAMA paediatrics suggests pregnant women should be supplementing with up to 2000 IU of vitamin D to reduce the risk of foetal and neonatal mortality. “Conceiving my first baby opened my eyes to the fact that it’s hard to get all the nutrients you need from diet alone and I think to supplement vitamin D during pregnancy is crucial to give your child the best start in life,” Samantha concludes.

“I will continue to supplement myself and I will most definitely be introducing a vitamin D supplement to my child once he arrives. Knowing that vitamin D is essential to the health of my family is invaluable.”

Providing an at-home testing service, a live UV index checker and a Vitamin D Food Calculator, BetterYou’s easy-to-use tools make it simple for those wanting to check their vitamin D forecast.

To learn more about Samantha and her journey to conception, you can watch her vitamin D story here.