Parity and vitamin D metabolites

Twenty-five hydroxycalciferol (25-OHD), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), alkaline phosphatase, and total protein were estimated in 86 Saudi pregnant women. They were divided into two groups, group I, parity 5 or more, and group II, parity 4 or less. The mean level of 25-OHD was 10.4 (S.D. 6.5) ng/ml in group I, and for group II 8.2 (6.1) ng/ml with no significant statistical difference between the groups. 1,25(OH)2D mean levels, in group I 45.5 (S.D. 30.2) ng/ml and in group II 36.9 (S.D. 27.1) pg/ml, also showed no significant difference. Levels of vitamin D metabolites were comparable with non-pregnant levels in Saudi Arabia but lower than others reported in Western populations. We found no effect of increasing parity on levels of vitamin D metabolites in our study.