Maternal selenium status declines sharply during pregnancy. In selenium-poor regions of the world, the mother’s normal everyday intake of selenium is not adequate to meet the additional needs of the fetus. In such circumstances, maternal selenium status can reach critically low levels. Meanwhile, selenium supplementation has shown positive effects on the immune system, especially in pregnancy [Schomburg 2021].
In a letter to the Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, Mücke et al urge that doctors pay extra attention to the selenium status of patients in stressful situations, e.g., pregnancy, chronic or acute illness, or convalescence. They note that there is a clear risk of selenium deficiency during pregnancy. Also after giving birth, new mothers living in selenium-poor regions will likely need selenium supplementation. They will likely need extra selenium to cope with the challenging post-partum conditions [Mücke 2021; Schomburg 2021].