Maternal vitamin D status throughout and after pregnancy.
J Obstet Gynaecol. 2010 Feb;30(2):137-42.
Narchi H, Kochiyil J, Zayed R, Abdulrazzak W, Agarwal M.
Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. hassib.narchi at uaeu.ac.ae
Prospective longitudinal study of vitamin D status and its risk factors in 75 pregnant women from early pregnancy until 6 months postpartum, by serial measurement of serum 25 (OH) vitamin D levels.
The serum levels at booking were not significantly different between
nationalities (p = 0.06), parity (p = 0.2),
education levels (p = 0.4),
dress code (p > 0.5),
consumption of vitamin D fortified milk (p = 0.2) or,
fatty fish (p = 0.5),
sun-exposed body surface area (p = 0.3),
weekly time exposed to the sun (p = 0.08) or the sun exposure index (p = 0.2).
Vitamin D status progressively worsened as the proportion with adequate serum levels fell from 31% at the antenatal visit, to
23% after birth and
17%, 6 months later (p = 0.02).
While 80% of mothers who were exclusively breast-feeding had low vitamin D levels 6 months after delivery, this occurred in only 67% of those partially breast-feeding (p = 0.6). PMID: 20143971