Measurement of serum vitamin D levels among the pregnant women
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Date
2025-07
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Medip Academy
Abstract
Background: Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy has been implicated in adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, including preterm labor. However, study on serum vitamin D status among pregnant women remains limited in the local context. This study aimed to assess the serum vitamin D levels among pregnant women presenting in labor and to explore associations with sociodemographic, behavioral, and obstetric factors. Methods: A descriptive type of cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), Dhaka, from July 2023 to June 2024. A total of 64 pregnant women aged 18-40 years in labor were enrolled, Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels were measured using the Atellica IM assay. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26 with significance set at p?0.05. Results: The mean age of participants was 34.86±9.64 years. Most women were housewives (40.6%) and had completed primary, secondary, or higher secondary education (each 28.1%). Approximately 65.6% were primiparous, 45.3% were at 37-38 weeks of gestation, and 25.0% reported pregnancy complications. While 71.9% received vitamin D supplements, 34.4% had low intake of dairy/fish, and 89.1% had ?30 minutes of daily sun exposure. The BMI assessment showed 29.7% were overweight and 20.3% obese. Vitamin D insufficiency was observed in 90.6% of participants. Significant associations were found between serum vitamin D levels and parity (p =0.000) as well as gestational age (p =0.000). Conclusions: Vitamin D insufficiency is highly prevalent among pregnant women in labor, particularly in primiparas and those with preterm labor. Findings highlight the need for targeted nutritional interventions and routine vitamin D screening during antenatal care.
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Keywords
Fetal outcomes, Gestational complications, Vitamin D status, Socio-demographic factors, Maternal health, Pregnancy
Citation
Sharmin SN, Das TR, Fatema J, Rahman I, Noor F, Islam S, Chakma B, Chowdhury TI. Measurement of serum vitamin D levels among the pregnant women. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2025 Jul; 14(7): 2118-2123