Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women of ethnic minority: a potential contributor to preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated risk for comorbidities and preeclampsia at low vitamin D levels in ethnic minorities.


METHODS
Umbilical cord vitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration was determined in urban minorities: 80.9% African American and 17% Hispanic mothers-baby pairs. To identify the correlation between vitamin D levels and high-risk comorbidities which result in preeclampsia, multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.


RESULTS
Below the Institute of Medicine threshold of 25(OH)D for pregnant women (25 ng ml⁻¹), obesity (P=0.055) and pregestational diabetes (odds ratio (OR)=2.056) were observed. The study median was 16 ng ml⁻¹ (<25th percentile), at which gestational hypertension (P=0.042), chronic hypertension (OR=4.842) and pregestational diabetes (OR=3.45) became relevant. The risk for preeclampsia increased 12-fold with gestational hypertension (P=0.003) and 14-fold with combined chronic and gestational hypertension (P=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnant women of ethnic minority had lower median vitamin D levels which may contribute to a potential risk for preeclampsia.
Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Howard University College of Medicine and the Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
I V
IV
Reeves
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Human Genetics, The Howard University College of Medicine and the Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Z D
ZD
Bamji
Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Howard University College of Medicine and the Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
G B
GB
Rosario
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Howard University College of Medicine and the Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
K M
KM
Lewis
Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Howard University College of Medicine and the Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
M A
MA
Young
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Human Genetics, The Howard University College of Medicine and the Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
K N
KN
Washington
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008913:Minority Groups; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology