title: Maternal serum 25(OH)D levels in the third trimester of pregnancy during the winter season.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure serum 25(OH)D levels of pregnant women in the last trimester during the winter season and to determine the factors affecting their serum levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 79 pregnant women in the third trimester were examined between November 2008 and March 2009. Serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, and 25(OH)D levels were measured. Maternal age, education, socioeconomic status (SES), nutrition, dressing habits, and level of sunlight exposure were determined and their correlation with serum 25(OH)D levels were statistically compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean serum 25(OH)D level of the study group was 11.95 ± 7.20 ng/ml, and the prevalence of severe vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D < 10 ng/ml] in pregnant women was 45.6%. No association was detected between severe vitamin D deficiency and maternal age, gravidity, skin phototype, benefiting from ultraviolet index, and educational status of the cases. Also in patients who used multivitamin supplements and good SES, 25(OH)D levels were significantly higher (p=0.046, p=0.025, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed a remarkable high rate of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women during the winter season and we have found high levels of vitamin D in patients supplemented with multivitamins and in ones with good SES.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Atatürk Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. kustuner@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Isik
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ustuner
authors.forename: H Levent
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Keskin
authors.forename: Emre Erdem
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Tas
authors.forename: Salim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neselioglu
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sengul
authors.forename: Ayse Filiz
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Avsar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000097:blood*; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016082:Solar System; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D002112:Calcifediol; D002118:Calcium