title: Determinants of vitamin D status in pregnant fair-skinned women in Sweden.
abstract: Low maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy may have negative consequences for both mother and child. There are few studies of vitamin D status and its determinants in pregnant women living at northern latitudes. Thus, the present study investigates vitamin D status and its determinants during the third trimester of women living in Sweden (latitudes 57-58°N). A total of ninety-five fair-skinned pregnant women had blood taken between gestational weeks 35 and 37. The study included a 4 d food diary and questionnaires on dietary intake, supplement use, sun exposure, skin type, travels to southern latitudes and measure of BMI. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was analysed using the chemiluminescence immunoassay. In the third trimester of pregnancy, mean serum concentration of 25(OH)D was 47.4 (sd 18.1) nmol/l (range 10-93 nmol/l). In total, 65% of women had serum 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/l and 17 % < 30 nmol/l. During the winter, 85% of the pregnant women had serum 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/l and 28 % < 30 nmol/l. The main determinants of vitamin D status were as follows: season; use of vitamin D supplements; travels to southern latitudes. Together, these explained 51% of the variation in 25(OH)D. In conclusion, during the winter, the majority of fair-skinned pregnant women had serum 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/l in their third trimester and more than every fourth woman < 30 nmol/l. Higher vitamin D intake may therefore be needed during the winter for fair-skinned pregnant women at northern latitudes to avoid vitamin D deficiency.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 459, 40530 Göteborg, Sweden.
authors: Petra
authors: P
authors: Brembeck
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Winkvist
authors: Hanna
authors: H
authors: Olausson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D012621:Seasons; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000502:physiology*; D013472:Sunlight; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D