Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women from a non-European ethnic minority population--an interventional study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the vitamin D status of pregnant women from non-European ethnic minorities in South Wales.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Llandough Hospital, Cardiff, South Wales.


METHODS
One hundred and sixty pregnant women from a non-European ethnic minority population in South Wales.


METHODS
Biochemical screening of vitamin D status was carried out at the first antenatal visit. Women found to be deficient in vitamin D were subsequently supplemented and vitamin D status was rechecked at delivery.


METHODS
Vitamin D status at delivery.


RESULTS
Eighty of 160 women had a vitamin D level below 8 ng/mL at their first antenatal visit and were treated with oral vitamin D. Factors that could influence vitamin D status such as religion, fluency in English and dressing habits did not appear to have any effect, although a higher proportion of women who had lived in Britain for longer than three years had subnormal vitamin D levels. In 58 of those checked at delivery, the mean plasma vitamin D level increased from 6 to 11 ng/mL although the mean parathyroid hormone level was unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
In view of the high incidence of subnormal vitamin D levels in women from ethnic minorities, we recommend biochemical screening of these women in early pregnancy, with subsequent supplementation where indicated.
Llandough Hospital, Cardiff, South Wales, UK.
S
S
Datta
M
M
Alfaham
D P
DP
Davies
F
F
Dunstan
S
S
Woodhead
J
J
Evans
B
B
Richards
D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008877:Middle East / Q000208:ethnology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000208:ethnology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000208:ethnology*; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D014900:West Indies / Q000208:ethnology