title: Incidence of maternal vitamin D deficiency in a region of Ankara, Turkey: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate vitamin D levels and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in healthy newborns and their mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-nine healthy pregnant women (≥ 37 weeks of gestation) were enrolled in the study. Previous history of pregnancies and births, nutritional status, multivitamin supplementation, educational status, type of clothing, and the economic level of the family were recorded. Blood samples were drawn from the mothers and the umbilical cord of the newborns to measure serum 25(OH)D3, calcium, phosphorus, and parathormone levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While vitamin D insufficiency was identified as 62.6% in mothers, it was 58.6% in newborns; on the other hand, the incidence of vitamin D deficiency was 18.2% and 15.2% in mothers and newborns, respectively. Maternal serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations were not significantly related to the number of pregnancies or births, type of clothing, or the nutritional, economical, or educational status of the family (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that despite a sunny environment, maternal vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are still important health problems in a developed region of Turkey. Therefore, more effective vitamin D prophylaxis programs are required to prevent vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women and their offspring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Keçioren Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gökçe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gür
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abaci
authors.forename: Adem Yasin
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Köksoy
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anik
authors.forename: Gönül
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Catli
authors.forename: Fatih Mehmet
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Kişlal
authors.forename: Kadir Okhan
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Akin
authors.forename: Nesibe
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andiran
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D003020:Clothing; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D010758:Phosphorus; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D002118:Calcium