OPTIMIZING MATERNAL AND FETAL HEALTH: THE ROLE OF VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION IN PREGNANCY OUTCOMES

RESUMO

Moamen Abdelfadil Ismail*, Ranaa Abdullah Alamri, Deemah Hamed Al-towairqi, Sara Saad AlOsaimi, Asma Banjaralandunsi, Joud Saleh Abdullah Alkhushyban, Mohanad Ali, Fatimah abdulhamid Almuhanna, Thamer Dhaifallah saleh alghamdi, Reema Abdallah idris, Saad abdullah alreshidi, Ramzi Mosallem Alblowi, Sally Abbas Noureldaeim Abdalla, Hind Ali Ahmadini

Background: Vitamin D plays a crucial role in calcium and phosphate regulation, supporting bone health, immune function, and metabolic processes. Deficiency in vitamin D has been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and low birth weight. Given the widespread prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, this study examines the impact of vitamin D supplementation on maternal and fetal health.

Methods: This study was conducted on 500 pregnant women with recorded serum vitamin D levels. Among them, 300 with vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) received a standardized vitamin D3 supplement, while rest women with unknown vitamin D levels served as the control group. Vitamin D levels were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry at different stages of pregnancy. The effects of supplementation on serum vitamin D levels and pregnancy outcomes, including gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm birth, low birth weight, and postpartum haemorrhage, were analyzed using statistical tests, including Student’s t-test, Chi-squared test, and logistic regression.

Results: At baseline, 99% of participants had vitamin D levels below 30 ng/mL. Vitamin D supplementation increased serum levels from an average of 13.70 ± 3.54 ng/mL to 30.5 ± 7.73 ng/mL. Women who achieved sufficient vitamin D levels (≥30 ng/mL) had significantly lower rates of preterm birth (p = 0.007), low birth weight (p = 0.025), and postpartum haemorrhage (p = 0.047) compared to the control group. However, no significant difference was observed in the rates of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. A positive correlation was found between maternal and cord blood vitamin D levels (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among pregnant women, particularly those with higher BMI. Supplementation effectively raises serum vitamin D levels and may reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and postpartum haemorrhage. However, a dosage higher than 2,000 IU/day may be necessary to achieve sufficient levels within three months. Ensuring adequate vitamin D intake during pregnancy may contribute to improved maternal and neonatal health outcomes.