title: Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Saudi newborns at a tertiary care center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate vitamin D levels in Saudi newborns utilizing umbilical cord samples, and to benchmark the results with international figures.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was carried out at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between November 2013 and March 2013. Vitamin D levels were assessed in the umbilical cord of healthy term neonates born above 2.5 kg from healthy pregnant mothers. Gestational age (GA), birth weight, gender, levels of sun exposure, and consumption of vitamin D rich food data were collected. Our primary outcome was the percentage of newborns with vitamin D deficiency (vitamin D level below 25 nmol/l). Association of vitamin D deficiency with sun exposure and consumption of vitamin D rich food was tested using a Chi-squared test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Umbilical samples of 200 newborns were obtained. The average birth weight was 3.2 kg. Deficient vitamin D levels were detected in 59% of the sample. Almost 90% of included newborns had vitamin D levels below 50 nmol/l. We found no association of vitamin D deficiency status to level of sun exposure or to consumption of vitamin D rich food.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D deficiency is very common in Saudi newborns at hospital, and is consistent with regional data. Efforts to assess and treat vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and provide adequate supplementation to newborns are necessary to rectify such a public health concern.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, College of Medicine and King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, PO Box 7805, Riyadh 11472, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tel. +966 556031222. Fax. +966 (11) 4671709. E-mail: kfaleh@ksu.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Khalid M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: AlFaleh
authors.forename: Abdulaziz M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Al-Manie
authors.forename: Hashem F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Al-Mahmoud
authors.forename: Hussam M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Al-Razqan
authors.forename: Ahmed B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Al-Mutlaq
authors.forename: Saud A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Al-Rumaih
authors.forename: Rana M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hasanato
authors.forename: Hazem M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Al-Mandeel
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*