Testing of all Pregnant Women for Vitamin D Is a Burden on the Government

It seems odd than in a country with the brightest sunlight of just about any nation on earth that women could possibly lack vitamin D. But "experts" are squabbling over screening for vitamin D deficiency. The government is saying that the cost is far too high and the value of doing this has questionable benefits.

At present obstetricians have to decide whether to test pregnant women who appear to suffer from a shortage of vitamin D. Australia's health system is already "cracking at the edges". Funding is a serious problem. With the Endocrine Society of Australia and the Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group Assuming the government will take the advice and test all pregnant women, GPs are confused.

The number of women tested for vitamin D has gone up by an incredible 5,000 per cent over the last decade. Idle claims that diabetes and heart disease are "caused" by not enough vitamin D in the body are not proven. Many health professionals still question the lack of vitamin D's causal relationship with osteoporosis. Pathologists have a cash cow with the burgeoning testing. Surely, women can protect themselves by buying vitamin D tablets at health stores, chemists and even at supermarkets.
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Health