Maternal vitamin-D deficiency in Pakistan

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Maternal and Child Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Vitamin D is essential for bone health and immune function in both mothers and infants.
• Breastfeeding is the primary source of nutrition for infants, making maternal vitamin D status crucial.
• Socioeconomic factors and living conditions can influence vitamin D levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the vitamin D status of healthy Pakistani nursing mothers and their breastfed infants.
• To identify potential correlations between vitamin D levels and socioeconomic factors.
• To assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in this population.

Main Methods:

• Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D], calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase levels were measured.
• Seventy-one mother-infant pairs from upper and lower socioeconomic classes were studied.
• Data was collected 6 weeks to 11 months postpartum.

Main Results:

• Nearly half of the mothers (48%) and infants (52%) exhibited vitamin D levels below 25 nmol/L.
• Higher vitamin D levels were observed in uneducated mothers, those from lower socioeconomic classes, and residents of mud houses.
• A significant correlation was found between infant and maternal vitamin D levels for infants under three months.

Conclusions:

• A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency exists among Pakistani nursing mothers and their infants.
• The upper socioeconomic class showed a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency.
• These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve vitamin D status in this population.