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Archives of Disease in Childhood 2007;92:750-753; doi:10.1136/adc.2006.105577
Copyright © 2007 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Original articles

High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in newborn infants of high-risk mothers

S H Dijkstra1, A van Beek1, J W Janssen1, L H M de Vleeschouwer1, W A Huysman1 and E L T van den Akker2

1 Sint Franciscus Gasthuis, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2 Erasmus MC, Sophia Children’s Hospital, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Correspondence to:
E L T van den Akker, Erasmus MC, Sophia Children’s Hospital, University Medical Centre, Department of Paediatrics, Dr. Molewaterplein 60, 3015 GJ Rotterdam, the Netherlands; e.l.t.vandenakker{at}erasmusmc.nl

Objective: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in newborn infants of mothers at risk of vitamin D deficiency because of dark skin or the wearing of concealing clothes (such as a veil) compared with a group presumed not to be at risk. A second aim was to correlate these newborn infants’ vitamin D concentrations with biochemical parameters of vitamin D metabolism and bone turnover at birth.

Design: A prospective study conducted between April 2004 and February 2006 including women delivering during this period and their newborn infants.

Setting: The outpatient clinic of the obstetrics department, Sint Franciscus Gasthuis, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Patients: Eighty seven newborn infants of healthy mothers with either dark skin and/or concealing clothing (risk group) or light skin (control group).

Results: We found a significant difference in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D3 <25 nmol/l) between newborn infants of mothers at risk and those of mothers in the control group (63.3% vs 15.8%; p<0.001). Mean alkaline phosphatase concentrations were significantly higher in the at risk group.

Conclusions: Newborn infants of mothers with dark skin or wearing concealing clothes are at great risk of vitamin D deficiency at birth. The clinical implications are unknown. Further research is necessary to determine the long-term consequences of maternal and neonatal vitamin D deficiency so that guidelines on vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy can be issued.

Keywords: Vitamin D; deficiency; newborns; pregnancy


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  • McCarthy, R, McCallion, N, Harrison, G, Molloy, E J (2009). Relationship between vitamin D and alkaline phosphatase in very-low-birthweight infants. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 94: F77-F78 [Full Text]  
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eLetters:

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A possible re-emergence of osteomalacia in women and severe hypovitaminosis D in new-born in France
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