Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Vitamin D deficiency can harm both the infant and the mother, potentially altering the trajectory of the child's life. This study aimed to delve into the potentially life-changing impact of vitamin D intake at birth on the prognosis of premature newborns. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, randomized clinical trial study, between 2021-2022, including 100 infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. Premature infants with a gestational age of < 34 weeks and requiring the neonatal intensive care unit admission were randomly allocated into two groups. The intervention group consisted of infants who received 10 000 units of vitamin D, while the control group comprised infants who did not receive any vitamin D at birth. The infants were evaluated based on clinical symptoms, the requirement and duration of oxygen therapy, the necessity and length of mechanical ventilation, the method of oxygen therapy administered, and the length of their hospital stay. RESULTS: This study included 56 (56.0%) boys and 44 (44.0%) girls. A significant difference was observed between the intervention and control groups regarding maternal age frequency (p = 0.013). Additionally, the frequency of mechanical ventilation (p = 0.030), surfactant administration (p = 0.009), and the number of times surfactant was administered (p = 0.020) also showed significant differences between both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D intake at birth could potentially revolutionize the management of respiratory complications in premature infants, a crucial discovery for healthcare practitioners and researchers.