Long-term hospitalization during pregnancy is a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency in neonates

• Published in: Journal of bone and mineral metabolism Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 103 - 108
• Main Authors: NISHIMURA, Kumi, SHIMA, Masaaki, KANZAKI, Toru, OKANO, Toshio, OZONO, Keiichi, TSUGAWA, Naoko, MATSUMOTO, Sayuri, HIRAI, Haruhiko, SANTO, Yoko, NAKAJIMA, Shigeo, IWATA, Morihiro, TAKAGI, Tetsu, KANDA, Yuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer 01.01.2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Calcifediol - blood; Calcium - blood; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Female; Fetal Blood - chemistry; Gestational Age; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Hospitalization; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Medical sciences; Milk, Human - chemistry; Phosphates - blood; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - blood; Pregnancy Complications - therapy; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Reference Values; Risk Factors; Sunlight; Vitamin D; Vitamin D Deficiency - epidemiology; Vitamin D Deficiency - prevention & control; Vitamin deficiency; Human; Biochemical analysis; Pregnancy disorders; Nutrition disorder; Immobilization; Vitamin deficiency; Hospitalization; Maternal diseases; Long term; Newborn diseases; Newborn; Mother; Vitamin D; Cholecalciferol(25-hydroxy); Risk factor; Serum; Umbilical cord; Nutritional status; Breast milk
• ISSN: 0914-8779; 1435-5604
• DOI: 10.1007/s007740300017

In order to examine the effects of long-term hospitalization during pregnancy on vitamin D metabolism in pregnant women and neonates, we measured the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels in pregnant women, as well as measuring 25OHD levels in cord blood and breast milk. In pregnant women hospitalized for longer than 1 month, the serum 25OHD levels were decreased at delivery compared with those in control subjects (10.9 +/- 2.6 ng/l vs 19.5 +/- 4.9 ng/l; P < 0.01). Although the levels of 25OHD in the cord blood were not significantly different between the long-term hospitalized and control pregnant women in this study (9.36 +/- 1.7 ng/l vs 11.1 +/- 3.0 ng/l), the 25OHD concentrations in the cord blood were significantly lower than the maternal levels in both groups; the ratios of the levels in cord blood to sera in the long-term hospitalized women and control subjects were 82.1% and 60.3%, respectively. Long maternal hospitalization does not always cause neonatal vitamin D deficiency, but could be one of its major risk factors. Therefore, sufficient sunlight exposure and intake of sufficient vitamin D are considered to be important to prevent vitamin D deficiency in long-term hospitalized pregnant women as well as their babies.