title: Vitamin D replacement in pregnant women in rural north India: a pilot study.
abstract: Hypovitaminosis D is common in both urban and rural Indians. The dose of vitamin D needed for the treatment of its deficiency during pregnancy is not clear. We conducted a study in rural Indians to evaluate the effect of cholecalciferol supplementation during routine antenatal visits on maternal 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) at delivery. Pregnant women received either no cholecalciferol (Group A) or 60 000 U (Group B) in the fifth month of gestation or 120 000 U each in the fifth and seventh gestational months (Group C). Serum 25OHD was measured at baseline (n=139) and at delivery (n=84). Median (interquartile range) 25OHD at baseline was low: 32.3 nmol/l (22.8-50.1 nmol/l). A significant increase in 25OHD at delivery was obtained only in group C: 40.1 nmol/l (26.9-58.4 nmol/l) at baseline vs 53.4 nmol/l (41.2-88.0 nmol/l) after delivery, P<0.001. Only 20% of participants in Group C achieved 25OHD at delivery >80 nmol/l, not significantly different from Group B. Cholecalciferol in doses of 120 000 U each in fifth and seventh gestational months was effective in raising 25OHD at delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahu
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rawat
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bhatia
mesh_terms: D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012423:Rural Health; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002762:Cholecalciferol; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D