Vitamin D status and its influence on pregnancy outcomes amongst pregnant women in southeastern Nigeria

Adinma Joseph Ifeanyi Brian-D 1, 4, *, Ahaneku Joseph Eberendu 2, Adinma Echendu Dolly 3, Ugboaja Joseph Odilichukwu 1, Egeonu Richard Obinwanne 1 and Edet Mark Matthew 4

1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Nigeria.
2Department of chemical pathology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, Nigeria.
3 Department of community medicine, Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria.
4 Centre for health and allied legal and demographical development research and training (CHALADDRAT), Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2020, 07(02), 089-098
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2020.7.2.0264
 
Publication history: 
Received on 14 July 2020; revised on 29July 2020; accepted on 07 August 2020
 
Abstract: 
This is a prospective cross-sectional study involving 256 consecutive consenting parturient women in southeastern Nigeria. The study aimed to determine the vitamin D levels of the pregnant women together with its influence on pregnancy outcomes. It involved assay of vitamin D levels from blood samples of the women using High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).Vitamin D levels were analyzed in respect of the women’s biodata and pregnancy outcome variables using SPSS. Data comparison was made using chi-square test and student t-test with p-values of<0.05 at 95% confidence interval considered as significant. Of the 256 pregnant women studied, 36(14.1%) had vitamin D deficiency (VDD). Mean serum vitamin D significantly decreased with increasing parity and increasing gestational age up to term (37-42 weeks). There was progressive increase in number of women (normal and vitamin D-deficient) for labour onset between 37th and 42nd weeks.  Vitamin D levels did not influence type or mode of delivery. No trend occurred between vitamin D and both antenatal and labour complications and no relationship occurred between serum vitamin D and fetal birth weight; although number of women with VDD increased with increasing placental weight. The prevalence of VDD in pregnant women in this study (14.1%), is low. There is also no associated deleterious pregnancy outcome to justify routine antenatal vitamin D supplementation, as suggested elsewhere. A larger population and multi-centered study may perhaps elucidate further the influence of vitamin D on pregnancy outcome amongst the people in this study area.
 
Keywords: 
Vitamin D; Maternal fetal outcome; pregnant women in southeast Nigeria.
 
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