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Widespread vitamin D deficiency in urban Massachusetts newborns and their mothers

Anne Merewood1, Supriya D Mehta, Xena Grossman

  • 1Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, 88 E Newton St, Vose 3, Boston, MA 02118, USA. anne.merewood@bmc.org

Pediatrics
|March 24, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Many infants and mothers in Boston are vitamin D deficient, with over half of newborns and a third of mothers lacking adequate levels. Prenatal vitamins may not provide sufficient vitamin D for replete status at birth.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Pediatrics
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Vitamin D deficiency is a growing public health concern, particularly in pregnant women and newborns.
  • Optimal vitamin D levels are crucial for maternal health and infant development, including bone health and immune function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess vitamin D status in a cohort of newly delivered infants and their mothers in Boston, Massachusetts.
  • To identify factors associated with vitamin D deficiency in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study enrolled 459 mother/infant pairs at an urban Boston hospital.
  • Data were collected via questionnaires and medical records, with infant and maternal blood samples analyzed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels.
  • Vitamin D deficiency was defined as 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL.

Main Results:

  • The median infant 25(OH)D level was 17.2 ng/mL, and the median maternal level was 24.8 ng/mL.
  • Vitamin D deficiency was prevalent, affecting 58.0% of infants and 35.8% of mothers.
  • Risk factors for infant deficiency included maternal deficiency, winter birth, Black race, and maternal BMI >/=35; prenatal vitamin use showed a protective effect.

Conclusions:

  • A significant proportion of infants and mothers in New England exhibit vitamin D deficiency.
  • Current prenatal vitamin formulations may be insufficient to ensure adequate vitamin D status at birth.
Abstract

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