Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Study was planned to know vitamin D status in mothers and their newborns and effect of vitamin D deficiency on pregnancy outcome. Study design: Two hundred consecutive pregnant women with singleton pregnancy admitted to the labor ward of a tertiary care center were recruited for the study. Maternal and cord blood samples were taken and analyzed for 25(OH) D level. Maternal and fetal outcomes were studied. RESULTS: High prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was found among pregnant women. Eighty-six percentage had vitamin D deficiency, 9.5% had insufficiency, and only 4.5% had sufficient vitamin D level. Women with preeclampsia had statistically significant vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency as compared to patients who had normal blood pressure levels (p = 0.04). Cesarean section rate was significantly higher in patients with vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency compared to sufficient group (p = 0.004). Cord blood 25(OH) D levels strongly correlated with maternal serum 25 (OH) D levels (p = 0.001, correlation coefficient r = 0.84). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a very high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D among pregnant women and excellent correlation between maternal and fetal 25(OH) D levels. Hypovitaminosis D was associated with preeclampsia, increased Cesarean rate, and low birth weight babies.