The relationship between maternal vitamin D status during third trimester of pregnancy and maternal and neonatal outcomes: A longitudinal study

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a common nutritional concern and leads toseveral problems among some population groups.Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the relationship betweenmaternal vitamin D status and gestational weight gain, maternal biochemical parameters,mode of delivery, and infants’ growth indices at birth.Materials and Methods: A longitudinal study between March and June 2017 wascarried on 82 mothers in Ahvaz. Blood samples of each mother were obtained at themean of the third trimester to assay lipid indices (total cholesterol, triglycerides, lowdensitylipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), fasting blood sugar, and25-hydroxy vitamin D. Anthropometric assessment of newborns was recorded fromneonatal health card at birth.Results: Mean maternal 25-hydroxy vitamin D level was 22.52 nmol/L; 7.33% of mothershad vitamin D deficiency, 76.6% had vitamin D insufficiency, and 15.9% were normal.The mean neonate birth weight, length, and head circumference of mothers who wereon the third tercile of 25-hydroxy vitamin D serum level was significantly higher thanthose in the first tercile (p < 0.001, p = 0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively). Maternalvitamin D serum level had an adverse relationship with fasting blood sugar.Conclusion: Low levels of serum vitamin D may cause adverse pregnancy outcomesand delivery of infants with insufficient growth at birth.