Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics 2 1 2016 01 29 43 49 EN Shiva Kazemi Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of MedicalSciences, Tehran, Iran Kurosh Djafarian Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Sakineh Shab-Bidar Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Elham Aghaei Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2016 05 28 2016 05 29 Background: To evaluate systematically the role of maternal vitamin D levels in postpartum depression (PPD) Methods: PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched using the search words [vitamin D, cholecalciferol, calcitriol, 1,25 (OH)D] in combination with [postpartum depression, PPD, postnatal depression, PND] in the title, abstract, and keywords. The search was limited to publications in English. Criteria for inclusion in this systematic review were data on maternal 25(OH) D and PPD. Results: We identified 147 publications at first, from which five observational studies were selected for inclusion in the final review.in one study 25(OH) D was associated with PPD. In another one was found an association but in category with vitamin D lower than 47 nMol/L was significant in p<0.05. In two studies the blood sample was taken after childbirth and observed an increased risk of PPD associated with only serum 25[OH] D levels ≤ 25.46 nmol/L and ≤25 nmol/L and in one studies not only observed no association between vitamin D concentrations and risk of PPD  but also found that in compare with  women 50–79 nmol/L, women with higher 25(OH)D3 concentrations (79 nmol/L) appeared to have significantly increased risks of PPD. Conclusion: It seems that vitamin D plays a role along with other factors that might cause postpartum depression, in a specific but unknown cut off. Further studies are necessary to identify the exact role of vitamin D on PPD. https://jnsd.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jnsd/article/view/49 https://jnsd.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jnsd/article/download/49/34