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Vitamin D deficiency among newborns in Amman, Jordan

Najwa Khuri-Bulos, Ryan D Lang, Meridith Blevins

  • 1. natasha.halasa@vanderbilt.edu.

Global Journal of Health Science
|December 31, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Over 94% of Jordanian newborns have vitamin D deficiency. Factors like maternal smoking and winter birth are linked to lower vitamin D levels in infants, highlighting the need for supplementation.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Health
  • Nutritional Science
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in the Middle East.
  • Neonatal vitamin D status in Jordan remains understudied.
  • Understanding deficiency prevalence and risk factors is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Jordanian newborns.
  • To identify risk factors associated with low vitamin D levels in this population.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective cohort study conducted in Amman, Jordan.
  • Collected blood samples from 3,731 newborns within 96 hours of birth for 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] analysis.
  • Documented maternal and infant factors including dress pattern, supplementation, smoke exposure, gestational age, and birth weight.

Main Results:

  • A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (94.1%) was observed, with a median 25(OH)D level of 8.6 nmol/L.
  • Lower gestational age, maternal smoke exposure, and winter birth were associated with decreased infant vitamin D levels.
  • Maternal vitamin D supplementation and outdoor time during pregnancy correlated with higher infant vitamin D levels.

Conclusions:

  • Severely low vitamin D levels are substantial in newborns in Amman, Jordan.
  • Deficiency persists even in infants born during warmer months.
  • Vitamin D supplementation is recommended for this vulnerable population.
Abstract

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