title: Subclinical hypovitaminosis D among exclusively breastfed young infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine Vitamin D status of mother-newborn diads at birth and of their exclusively breastfed (EBF) infants at 3 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Exclusively breastfed infants born at term with birth weight > 2.5 kg to normal, healthy mothers followed till 3 months. Serum calcium, phosphorous, heat labile alkaline phosphatase (HLAP) and 25(OH)D estimated in 42 mother / cord blood diads and in 35 (EBF) infants followed up at 3 months. Twenty five (OH)D < 15 ng/mL was considered low and 15 to 25 ng/mL low to normal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ca, P, HLAP were significantly higher in cord blood (P < 0.001) but mean 25 (OH)D, 19.36 ng/mL was comparable to maternal level of 22.9 ng/mL (r = 0.82, P < 0.001). At 3 months only HLAP was significantly higher compared to cord blood. Higher 25 (OH)D at 3 months correlated with higher 25 (OH)D values in cord blood (r = +0.616, P < 0.001) as well as higher antenatal maternal levels (r = + 0.552, P < 0.001). Serum 25 (OH)D values < 25 ng/mL was observed in 50 % mothers, 62 % cord blood specimens and 80 % infants at 3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subnormal maternal vitamin D status is associated with vitamin D deficiency in newborns and persists in exclusively breastfed infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Sir H N Hospital and Research Center and Sir H N Medical Research Society, Raja Rammohan Roy Road, Mumbai 400 004, India. meena_desai@vsnl.net
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bhalala
authors.forename: Meena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parekh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mokal
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chheda
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007228:Infant Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D