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BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Vitamin D levels in an Australian and New Zealand cohort and the association with pregnancy outcome

Authors: Rebecca L. Wilson, Alison J. Leviton, Shalem Y. Leemaqz, Paul H. Anderson, Jessica A. Grieger, Luke E. Grzeskowiak, Petra E. Verburg, Lesley McCowan, Gustaaf A. Dekker, Tina Bianco-Miotto, Claire T. Roberts

Published in: BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Pregnant women are at increased susceptibility to vitamin D deficiency. Hence, there is continuing interest in determining how vitamin D influences pregnancy health. We aimed to compare vitamin D status in two distinct populations of pregnant women in Australia and New Zealand and to investigate the relationship between vitamin D status and pregnancy outcome. This included evaluating possible effect measure modifications according to fetal sex.

Methods

Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured at 15 ± 1 weeks’ gestation in 2800 women from Adelaide and Auckland who participated in the multi-centre, prospective cohort SCreening fOr Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) study.

Results

Mean serum 25(OH)D in all women was 68.1 ± 27.1 nmol/L and 28% (n = 772) were considered vitamin D deficient (< 50 nmol/L). Serum 25(OH)D was lower in the women recruited in Adelaide when compared to the women recruited in Auckland and remained lower after adjusting for covariates including maternal body mass index and socioeconomic index (Adelaide: 58.4 ± 50.3 vs. Auckland: 70.2 ± 54.5 nmol/L, P < 0.001). A 53% decreased risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was observed with high (> 81 nmol/L) “standardised” vitamin D status when compared to moderate-high (63–81 nmol/L, aRR, 0.47; 95% CI: 0.23, 0.96). Marginal sex-specific differences occurred between vitamin D status and GDM: women carrying a female fetus had a 56% decreased risk for GDM in those with low-moderate levels of standardised vitamin D (44–63 nmol/L) compared to moderate-high levels (aRR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.97), whilst in women carrying a male fetus, a 55% decreased risk of GDM was found with high standardised vitamin D when compared to moderately-high vitamin D, but this was not statistically significant (aRR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.15, 1.38).

Conclusions

High serum 25(OH)D at 15 ± 1 weeks’ gestation was shown to be protective against the development of GDM. A possible association between fetal sex, vitamin D status and GDM provides further questions and encourages continual research and discussion into the role of vitamin D in pregnancy, particularly in vitamin D replete populations.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Vitamin D levels in an Australian and New Zealand cohort and the association with pregnancy outcome
Authors
Rebecca L. Wilson
Alison J. Leviton
Shalem Y. Leemaqz
Paul H. Anderson
Jessica A. Grieger
Luke E. Grzeskowiak
Petra E. Verburg
Lesley McCowan
Gustaaf A. Dekker
Tina Bianco-Miotto
Claire T. Roberts
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2393
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-018-1887-x

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