Vitamin D Status among Egyptian Mothers and Their Neonates: An Exploratory Study
Manal A. Mohsen *
Department of Child Health, Medical Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
Mai M. Youssef
Department of Child Health, Medical Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
Maha M. El-Shamy
Department of Pediatric, El-Mataria Teaching Hospital, Egypt.
Mona Anwar
Department of Research on Children with Special Needs, Medical Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
Nagwa A. Kantoush
Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Medical Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
Ebtissam M. Salah
Department of Child Health, Medical Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
Samar M. E. Salem
Department of Child Health, Medical Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
Hala S. Megahed
Department of Child Health, Medical Division, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background/Objective: The potential impact of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy has attracted much interest in recent years. This study was an exploratory one aimed to assess vitamin D status among a small random sample of Egyptian pregnant women and their newborns, and to evaluate its effect on pregnancy outcome.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 45 mothers and their newborns. Venous blood obtained from the mothers and from the cord blood to assess serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D), human Parathormone (hPTH) and serum calcium and phosphorus.
Results: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among the examined pregnant mothers was 37.78%. Based on umbilical cord 25(OH)D concentration 31.11% of newborns were categorized as having deficient vitamin D status. The maternal serum 25(OH) D was significantly positive correlated with the cord blood 25(OH)D (r=0.719, P=0.019). Newborns 25(OH) D was lower compared to their mothers but this difference was insignificant, the parathormone cord blood level was significantly lower compared to the maternal serum parathormone level (P<0.05). Maternal serum calcium and phosphorus showed no significant difference compared to cord blood levels. There was no significant effect of maternal vitamin D on the newborn's birth weight or length. The newborns head circumference was significantly negative correlated with the maternal serum 25(OH) D (r=-0.587, P=0.035).
Conclusion: In this preliminary study a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among studied mothers and their newborns was recorded; the magnitude of which warrants the need for large multiple studies in different Egyptian districts. In this study, neonatal 25(OH) D concentrations were strongly positively correlated to maternal 25(OH) D levels with neonatal head circumference was the most affected anthropometric parameter.
Keywords: 25 (OH) D, pregnancy, parathyroid hormone, newborn