title: Levels of serum vitamin D and calcium in pregnancies complicated with fetal congenital diaphragmatic hernia and normal pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vitamin D (VD) deficiency is a common public health problem worldwide in all age groups. Receptors and enzymes related to VD metabolism have been shown in many cells and tissues of the body. VD plays a crucial role in cellular growth and differentiation during embryogenesis. It has been suggested that VD deficiency may be associated with various diseases, and that lower maternal serum levels may be associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. In this study, we aimed to compare serum VD levels of pregnant women whose pregnancies complicated by congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) with healthy pregnant women. We also evaluated perinatal outcomes of these pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total of 77 patients was included in this prospective and cross-sectional case-controlled study. 24 pregnant women having a fetus with CDH diagnosed prenatally formed the study group, and 53 healthy pregnants were eligible for the control group. Demographics and clinical characteristics of the cases with some laboratory parameters were recorded. Perinatal outcomes were also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences were observed between two groups in terms of demographics and clinical features. Mean maternal serum VD levels were significantly lower in the study group than in the controls (p: 0.019). Ionized calcium and corrected calcium levels were also found to be lower in pregnant women with CDH (p < 0.001). Moreover, the calcium-rich dietary habits were also more common in the control group. Four (16.7%) patients chose termination and one (4.2%) experienced a stillbirth. Fourteen (58.3%) infants died in the early neonatal period; although some had undergone surgical interventions, only 5 (20.8%) were still alive after surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal serum VD and calcium levels were significantly lower in pregnancies complicated by CDH than healthy pregnant women. Hipovitaminosis D may play a vital role in the pathogenesis of CDH.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Division of Perinatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulenay Gencosmanoglu
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Turkmen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Division of Perinatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Timur
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Division of Perinatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Aytekin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tokmak
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Division of Perinatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Zehra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Division of Perinatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kirbas
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Division of Perinatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Korkut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Daglar
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Division of Perinatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Cem Yasar
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Sanhal
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Division of Perinatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Uygur
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D065630:Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Calcium; calcium-rich dietary; congenital diagraphma hernia; perinatal outcome; vitamin D