Correlation of serum Vitamin D levels in lactating mothers and their infants

• Published in: Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 801 - 805
• Main Authors: Husain, Minhaz, Verma, Manish, Jora, Rakesh, Soni, Jai, Sharma, Pramod
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.11.2018; Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Alkaline phosphate; Analysis; Breast feeding; Breastfeeding & lactation; calcium; Congenital diseases; Health aspects; Health care; Infants; lactating mother; Lactation; Mothers; Newborn babies; Original; Pediatric research; Phosphatases; Phosphates; Phosphorus; Pregnancy; Studies; sunlight; Urine; Vitamin D; Vitamin D deficiency; Vitamin deficiency; Vitamins; Womens health; India; Alkaline phosphate; lactating mother; sunlight; calcium; infants; Vitamin D
• ISSN: 2230-8210; 2230-9500
• DOI: 10.4103/ijem.IJEM_186_17

Background: Although Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in Indians, data on Vitamin D eficiency in lactating mothers and exclusively breast fed infants is inadequate. Objective: This study was done to evaluate the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in lactating mothers and their infants and to find out any correlation between them. Materials and Methods: This hospital based, cross sectional study included 200 healthy infants between 1-30 days and their mothers. Serum sample was collected from both for Ca, inorganic phosphate (IP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and 25(OH)D. Results: Mean serum 25(OH)D level of mothers was 11.33 ± 5.86 ng/ml with a range of 2-37 ng/ml. Hypovitaminosis D was defined as serum 25(OH)D level <10 ng/ml. Almost 94 (47%) of mothers were having hypovitaminosis D. Mean serum 25(OH)D level of infants was 11.92 ± 7.89 ng/dl with a range of 2.5-68 ng/dl. Ninety (45%) infants were having hypovitaminosis D. There was a moderate positive correlation between individual mothers' and infants' serum 25(OH)D values (Pearson coefficient = 0.516, P < 0.001). Using logistic regression, it was found that infants born to mothers with hypovitaminosis D carry a 4.47 times more risk of developing hypovitaminosis D as compared to infants born to mothers with normal serum 25(OH)D (Odds ratio = 4.47, P < 0.001). Conclusion: This study shows a high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in lactating mothers and their breastfeeding infants with a positive correlation between them. These results provide a justification for adequate Vitamin D supplementation of all exclusively breastfeeding infants and highlight the urgent need to improve maternal Vitamin D status.