title: Vitamin D status and periodontal disease among pregnant and non-pregnant women in an underdeveloped district of Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare pregnant and non-pregnant females for vitamin D level and periodontal status and to determine if there is any association between the periodontal health and hypovitaminosis D in pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jhelum, Pakistan. Participants were pregnant females at ~ 12 weeks of gestation (n = 36) and non-pregnant (n = 35) females selected from the same locality. Periodontal parameters such as probing depth, bleeding on probing, and attachment loss were recorded. Serum samples were taken to measure blood indices and vitamin D levels. Chi-square test and Odds ratio were applied to determine the association between hypovitaminosis D and periodontal status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vitamin D deficiency was common in the pregnant group compared to non-pregnant (P < 0.001). Blood indices (hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume) were significantly lower among the pregnant compared to the non-pregnant group (P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups for probing depth and attachment loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnant women were more deficient in Vitamin D than non-pregnant women. However, no association between low vitamin D levels and periodontal disease was seen in the studied population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sind, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Farhan R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sind, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Tashfeen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sind, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rabia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Department of Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Sind, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Zulfiqar A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Bhutta
keywords: Nutrition; periodontal disease; pregnant women; vitamin D