Comparison of cord blood vitamin D levels in newborns of vitamin D supplemented and unsupplemented pregnant women: a prospective, comparative study

Abstract

Objective: To screen pregnant women for deficiency of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and supplement selected vitamin D deficient pregnant women with vitamin D and to compare 25(OH)D levels in cord blood between them.

Method: Sixty pregnant women were selected as cases (vitamin D levels <30 ng/ml) and 60 unscreened pregnant women were taken as controls. Cases were supplemented with available 60,000 IU vitamin D every two weeks for eight doses or till delivery, whichever was earlier. In both the cases and controls, cord blood was collected at the time of delivery and tested for 25(OH)D levels using Biomerieux miniVIDAS.

Result: Maximum (66.7%) pregnant women who received vitamin D supplementation had cord blood vitamin D level >30 ng/ml, while only 3.3% unsupplemented pregnant women had cord blood vitamin D level >30 ng/ml. The median cord blood vitamin D level was 36.5 ng/ml in vitamin D supplemented and 11.35 ng/ml in unsupplemented women. The mean birth weight and mean crown heel length were 3.1 ± 0.485 kg versus 2.8 ± 0.705 kg and 49.35 ± 1.36 cm versus 48.67 ± 2.12 cm, respectively.

Conclusion: Vitamin D supplemented women had sufficient levels of 25(OH)D in cord blood at birth in maximum cases and neonates had higher birth weights and increased crown heel length.

Keywords: 25(OD)D; Birth weight; cord blood; crown heel length; pregnancy; supplementation; vitamin D.