Association between 25-OH Vitamin D Deficiency and COVID-19 Severity in Pregnant Women

Abstract

Evidence from studies in the general population suggests an association between vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency and COVID-19 susceptibility and disease severity. The present study was performed on 165 third-trimester pregnant women at the time of delivery. Seventy-nine women tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. From 86 women testing positive, 32 were asymptomatic, 44 presented a mild form of the disease, and 10 experienced severe symptoms. Serum 25-OH vitamin D levels were measured on blood samples collected on admission. Low vitamin D levels were detected in symptomatic but not asymptomatic COVID-19 patients compared to healthy women (p = 0.0227). In addition, 20 (45.4%) pregnant women in the mild COVID-19 group and 6 (60%) in the severe group were vitamin D deficient (p = 0.030). On the other hand, lasso regression analysis showed that 25-OH vitamin D deficiency is an independent predictor of severe COVID-19 with an odds ratio (OR) of 5.81 (95% CI: 1.108-30.541; p = 0.037). These results show the relationship between vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women and the severity of COVID-19 infection and support the recommendation to supplement with vitamin D to avoid worse COVID-19 outcomes during pregnancy.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; asymptomatic; immune system; pregnancy; vitamin D deficiency.

Figure 1

Serum 25-OH vitamin D levels in COVID-19 and control women in the third trimester of pregnancy. (A) 25-OH vitamin D levels in healthy pregnant women and COVID-19 group. (B) 25-OH vitamin D concentrations between asymptomatic and symptomatic group compared with control. (C) 25-OH vitamin D levels according to symptomatology. Control = 79; Asymptomatic = 32; Symptomatic = 54; Mild = 44; Severe =10. Standard deviations of the mean are shown in all panels. Comparisons between groups were performed using one-way ANOVA. Significance p < 0.05.