Despite growing awareness about this topic in pediatrics, the occurrence and consequences of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in cord blood (CB) have not been fully investigated. Researchers investigated the rate, maternal risk factors, and clinical outcomes in newborns with vitamin D deficiency or deficiency at birth. Vitamin D status in CB samples was classified as deficient (5–15), insufficient (16–20), or sufficient (21–100) using American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) specified levels (ng/mL). The rate and variables associated with vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency and related outcomes in the recruited mother-infant pairs were determined using descriptive statistics and multiple regression models.
Researchers at a single center undertook this prospective research of postpartum women and their infants. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were found in 38.9% and 29.8% of the 265 CB samples, respectively. Deficient CB vitamin D levels in babies were linked to maternal race/ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, or Asian), younger age, and more pregnancies. With younger maternal age, the number of pregnancies, and the Asian race, the probability of infants being born with low vitamin D levels increases. Researchers found no link between the neonates’ vitamin D status at delivery and their pre-discharge clinical features. The chances of a newborn being born with vitamin D deficit or insufficiency are rather high and are mostly connected to maternal age, gravidity, and non-White race/ethnicity. The findings raise concerns about the adequacy of the AAP’s vitamin D supplementation recommendations without knowing the infant’s vitamin D level at birth.
Reference:bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-016-0741-4
