American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 202, Issue 5 , Pages 436.e1-436.e8, May 2010

Vitamin D insufficiency in pregnant and nonpregnant women of childbearing age in the United States

  • Adit A. Ginde, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprints: Adit A. Ginde, MD, MPH, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, School of Medicine, 12401 E. 17th Ave., B-215, Aurora, CO 80045
    • ,
  • Ashley F. Sullivan, MS, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
    • ,
  • Jonathan M. Mansbach, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
    • ,
  • Carlos A. Camargo Jr, MD, DrPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Received 16 June 2009; received in revised form 10 August 2009; accepted 18 November 2009. published online 11 January 2010.

Objective

We evaluated vitamin D insufficiency in a nationally representative sample of women and assessed the role of vitamin supplementation.

Study Design

We conducted secondary analysis of 928 pregnant and 5173 nonpregnant women aged 13-44 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2006.

Results

The mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level was 65 nmol/L for pregnant women and 59 nmol/L for nonpregnant women. The prevalence of 25(OH)D <75 nmol/L was 69% and 78%, respectively. Pregnant women in the first trimester had similar 25(OH)D levels as nonpregnant women (55 vs 59 nmol/L), despite a higher proportion taking vitamin D supplementation (61% vs 32%). However, first-trimester women had lower 25(OH)D levels than third-trimester women (80 nmol/L), likely from shorter duration of supplement use.

Conclusion

Adolescent and adult women of childbearing age have a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency. Current prenatal multivitamins (400 IU vitamin D) helped to raise serum 25(OH)D levels, but higher doses and longer duration may be required.

Key words: epidemiology, nutrition, pregnancy, supplementation, vitamin D

 

 Dr Ginde was supported by National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant KL2 RR025779; Dr Mansbach, by NIH Grant K23 AI077801; and Dr Camargo, by the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for D-receptor Activation Research. The sponsors had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.

 Cite this article as: Ginde AA, Sullivan AF, Mansbach JM, et al. Vitamin D insufficiency in pregnant and nonpregnant women of childbearing age in the United States. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2010;202:436.e1-8.

PII: S0002-9378(09)02210-8

doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2009.11.036

Refers to article:

  • Journal ClubCross-reference Vitamin D insufficiency in women of childbearing age: Ginde et al

    George A. Macones, Jennifer Allsworth, Lorie Harper, Katherine Goetzinger
    American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology May 2010 (Vol. 202, Issue 5, Pages 509-510)

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume 202, Issue 5 , Pages 436.e1-436.e8, May 2010