High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Pakistani mothers and their newborns.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Pakistani parturients and their newborns and to assess the correlation between maternal and newborn serum levels of the vitamin D metabolite 25-hydroxy vitamin D3.


METHODS
A prospective study of parturients presenting to the labor suite with a singleton pregnancy. Maternal and cord blood were collected for estimation of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3.


RESULTS
In total, 89% of the gravidae were deficient in vitamin D (serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 <30 ng/mL). There was a positive correlation between maternal and cord blood 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 levels(r = 0.68; P < 0.001). Inverse correlations were noted between cord blood 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 and a longer duration of gestation (r = -0.33; P = 0.003) and with the newborn's birth weight (r = -0.23; P = 0.048). Maternal 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 levels were inversely correlated with maternal mean arterial pressure (r = 0.029; P < 0.020).


CONCLUSIONS
There was a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the Pakistani parturients and their newborns. There was a correlation between higher maternal vitamin D levels and lower blood pressure in the mothers.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan. nazli.hossain@duhs.edu.pk
Nazli
N
Hossain
Rafiq
R
Khanani
Fatima
F
Hussain-Kanani
Tahira
T
Shah
Shaheen
S
Arif
Lubna
L
Pal
D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D002112:Calcifediol