Cord blood vitamin D levels of term neonates

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Health
• Nutritional Biochemistry

Background:

• Vitamin D is crucial for infant health.
• Deficiency is a global concern, but data from tropical regions like India is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in newborns in Kozhikode, Kerala, India.
• To assess cord blood 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in healthy term neonates.

Main Methods:

• Cord blood samples were collected from 50 healthy term neonates.
• 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels were measured.
• Data was analyzed for distribution and prevalence.

Main Results:

• The mean vitamin D level was 11.36 (4.75) ng/mL.
• The median level was 10.85 ng/mL (range: 3.9-24.9 ng/mL).
• Most neonates (majority) had levels between 5 to 15 ng/mL, indicating widespread deficiency.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of neonates in this tropical Indian region are born with vitamin D deficiency.
• Findings suggest potential public health implications for maternal and infant vitamin D status.