Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine (Mar 2014)
Assessment of adequacy of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy
Abstract
Introduction. Deficiency of vitamin D in pregnancy leads to higher incidences of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, bacterial vaginosis, and also affects the health of the infants. According to Polish recommendations published in 2009, vitamin D supplementation in pregnant women should be provided from the 2nd trimester of pregnancy in daily dose of 800–1000 IU. The aim of the presented study is: 1) to estimate how many pregnant women comply with those recommendations and 2) to determine the 25(OH)D levels in pregnant women. Patients and methods. The study included 88 pregnant women, aged 20–40 years, between 12–35 week of gestation. Vitamin D concentrations [25(OH)D] were measured by a direct electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (Elecsys, Roche). Results. 31 of 88 pregnant women (35.2%) did not use any supplementation. Mean level of 25(OH)D was 28.8±14.8 ng/mL (range from 4.0 – 77.5 ng/mL). Vitamin D deficiency, defined as 25(OH)D concentration below 20 ng/mL, was found in 31.8% of the women (28/88). Insufficiency of vitamin D [25(OH)D concentration between 20–30 ng/mL] was present in 26.1% of the women (23/88). Optimal level of 25(OH)D (over 30 ng/mL) was present in 37/88 (42.0% women). Hence, in 46.2% of women taking vitamin D supplementation, the levels of 25(OH)D were still below 30 ng/mL. Conclusions. Supplementation of vitamin D in the investigated group was inadequate. More than 35% of pregnant women did not take any supplements, while half of the subjects who had declared taking vitamin D, failed to achieve optimal serum 25(OH)D concentration.
