High Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Pregnant Women in South China

Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2020 Jun;90(3-4):273-278. doi: 10.1024/0300-9831/a000592. Epub 2019 Jun 12.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the vitamin D status of pregnant women in the Liuzhou area and assess the effects of maternal vitamin D status on the cord blood of their newborns. Subjects and methods: This study included 8852 pregnant women and 2000 newborns. The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels of the 8852 pregnant women and the cord blood of 2000 newborns were measured. Results: The results showed that the average level of 25(OH)D in pregnant women in this area was 76.55 nmol/L, and women in different trimesters had different vitamin D levels (p < 0.001). The overall prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<75 nmol/L) in pregnant women was 62.34%, and the proportion of severe deficiency (<25 nmol/L) was 0.25%. Vitamin D deficiency was more prevalent in the winter and spring than in the summer and autumn (p < 0.001). Pregnant women who had regular vitamin D supplementation had higher levels of 25(OH)D than the women with discontinuous supplementation or no supplementation (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency was prevalent in pregnant women in the Liuzhou area. There were differences in vitamin D levels between the three trimesters and different seasons. For pregnant women with vitamin D deficiency, it is important to scientifically determine the appropriate level of vitamin D supplementation to ensure the health of mothers and babies.

Keywords: newborns; pregnancy; related factors; vitamin D.

MeSH terms

  • China
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Pregnancy
  • Prevalence
  • Seasons
  • Vitamin D / chemistry*
  • Vitamin D / metabolism
  • Vitamin D Deficiency* / metabolism

Substances

  • Vitamin D