REVIEW   

Minerva Ginecologica 2018 June;70(3):268-85

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4784.17.04172-7

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

The role of vitamin D in assisted reproduction techniques

Vincenzo DE LEO, Valentina CAPPELLI ✉, Giuseppe MORGANTE, Alessandra DI SABATINO

Department of Molecular and Developmental Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

Vitamin D or calcitriol, which was first identified back in 1920, has a key role in bone metabolism and mineralization, and in calcium and magnesium homeostasis. A nuclear receptor (VDR) mediates vitamin D actions in a lot of organs like bowel, bone, kidney, breast, gonads, pancreas, brain, cardiovascular and immune systems. In all these tissues the 1,25(OH)2D play a fundamental role in reduction of chronic pathologies, in modulation of cellular growth, neuromuscular, immune and inflammation actions. Vitamin D is important in reproduction physiology and in development gynecological and obstetric disorders like polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, myomatosis, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. Over the last few years, vitamin D has been suggested to have a role in assisted reproduction techniques.

KEY WORDS: Vitamin D - Endometriosis - Abdominal fibromatosis - Polycystic ovarian syndrome - Reproduction