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. 2024 Jun 27;14(1):14845.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-65232-9.

Impact of helminth infections during pregnancy on maternal and newborn Vitamin D and on birth outcomes

Sèyigbéna P Déo-Gracias Berry  1   2   3 , Yabo Josiane Honkpèhedji  2   4   5   6 , Esther Ludwig  1   3 , Saïdou Mahmoudou  2 , Ulrich Fabien Prodjinotho  1   3 , Rafiou Adamou  2 , Odilon P Nouatin  7 , Bayode R Adégbitè  2   5 , Jean Claude Dejon-Agobe  2   5 , Romuald Beh Mba  2 , Moustapha Maloum  2 , Anne Marie Mouima Nkoma  2 , Jeannot Fréjus Zinsou  2   5   6 , Adrian J F Luty  8 , Meral Esen  2   5   9 , Ayôla Akim Adégnika  2   5   6   9 , Clarissa Prazeres da Costa  10   11   12
Affiliations

Impact of helminth infections during pregnancy on maternal and newborn Vitamin D and on birth outcomes

Sèyigbéna P Déo-Gracias Berry et al. Sci Rep. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Poor birth outcomes in low- and middle income countries are associated with maternal vitamin D deficiency and chronic helminth infections. Here, we investigated whether maternal Schistosoma haematobium affects maternal or cord vitamin D status as well as birth outcomes. In a prospective cross-sectional study of pregnant women conducted in Lambaréné, Gabon, we diagnosed maternal parasitic infections in blood, urine and stool. At delivery we measured vitamin D in maternal and cord blood. S. haematobium, soil-transmitted helminths, and microfilariae were found at prevalences of 30.2%, 13.0%, and 8.8%, respectively. Insufficient vitamin D and calcium levels were found in 28% and 15% of mothers, and in 11.5% and 1.5% of newborns. Mothers with adequate vitamin D had lower risk of low birthweight babies (aOR = 0.11, 95% CI 0.02-0.52, p = 0.01), whilst offspring of primipars had low cord vitamin D levels, and low vitamin D levels increased the risk of maternal inflammation. Maternal filariasis was associated with low calcium levels, but other helminth infections affected neither vitamin D nor calcium levels in either mothers or newborns. Healthy birth outcomes require maintenance of adequate vitamin D and calcium levels. Chronic maternal helminth infections do not disrupt those levels in a semi-rural setting in sub-Saharan Africa.

Keywords: Helminth infections; Maternal; Newborn vitamin D; Pregnancy outcomes; Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of the participants during the study course. The mother cohort is shown as a solid line and the newborn cohort is shown as a broken line.
Figure 2
Figure 2
VitD and Ca2+ levels in maternal and cord blood at delivery. (A) VitD levels in maternal and cord blood (B) Ca2+ levels in in maternal and cord blood; red lines indicate VitD insufficiency threshold of 30 ng/mL and Ca2+ insufficiency threshold of 2,2 mmol/L; (C) correlation between maternal and cord VitD by Pearson’s correlation; (D) correlation between maternal and cord Ca2+ by Pearson’s correlation; (E) correlation between maternal Ca2+ and maternal VitD by Pearson’s correlation coefficient (F) correlation between cord Ca2+ and cord VitD by Pearson’s correlation; n (maternal) = 328; n (cord) = 328. Data are shown with median and interquartile range. P values are for Wilcoxon matched-pairs-Test. P value: * =  < 0,05; ** =  < 0,01; *** =  < 0,001; **** =  < 0,0001.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effects of maternal helminth infection on maternal and newborn VitD and Ca2+ levels and the transplacental transfer. (A) maternal VitD according to the 5 main groups; (B) cord VitD according to the 5 main groups; (C) cord /maternal VitD ratio level within the 5 main groups; (D) maternal Ca2+ level within the 5 main groups; (E) cord Ca2+ level within the 5 main groups; (F) cord/maternal Ca2+ level within the 5 main groups. n (maternal N/I) = 137; n (maternal Sh +) = 55; n (maternal STH +) = 11; n (maternal Sh + OI +) = 23; (maternal OI +) = 11; n (cord NI) = 137; n (cord Sh +) = 55; n (cord STH +) = 11; n (cord Sh + OI) = 23; (cord OI +) = 11. VitD concentration Insufficiency: < 30 ng/mL, Ca2+ concentration Insufficiency: < 2,2 mmol/L. Data are shown with median and interquartile range. P values are for Mann–Whitney test. P value: * =  < 0,05; ** =  < 0,01; *** =  < 0,001; **** =  < 0,0001.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Impact of maternal infection on maternal and newborn C-reactive protein CRP level. (A) overall CRP level in all the cohort n (maternal) = 328; n (cord) = 328; (B) overall CRP level in the cohort according to the dry and rainy season n (maternal) = 328; n (cord) = 328; n (maternal N/I) = 137; n (maternal Sh +) = 55; n (maternal STH +) = 11; n (maternal Sh + OI) = 23; (maternal OI +) = 11; n (cord NI) = 137; n (cord Sh +) = 55; n (cord STH +) = 11; n (cord Sh + OI) = 23; (cord OI +) = 11; (C) maternal CRP level within the 5 main groups; (D) cord CRP level within the 5 main groups; CRP concentration : < 1 mg/dL. Data are shown with median and interquartile range. P values are for Wilcoxon matched-pairs-Test and Mann–Whitney test. P value: * =  < 0,05; ** =  < 0,01; *** =  < 0,001; **** =  < 0,0001.
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