Vitamin D Levels in Early Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes Risk
Author Information
Author(s): Zhang Cuilin, Qiu Chunfang, Hu Frank B., David Robert M., van Dam Rob M., Bralley Alexander, Williams Michelle A.
Primary Institution: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
Hypothesis
Is there an association between maternal plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in early pregnancy and the risk for gestational diabetes mellitus?
Conclusion
Maternal vitamin D deficiency in early pregnancy is significantly associated with an elevated risk for gestational diabetes mellitus.
Supporting Evidence
- Maternal plasma 25-[OH] D concentrations were significantly lower in women who developed GDM compared to controls.
- 33% of GDM cases had vitamin D deficiency compared to 14% of controls.
- Each 5 ng/ml decrease in 25-[OH] D concentrations was related to a 1.29-fold increase in GDM risk.
Takeaway
If pregnant women don't have enough vitamin D early on, they might be more likely to get diabetes while pregnant.
Methodology
A nested case-control study was conducted among a prospective cohort of pregnant women, comparing 57 women with gestational diabetes to 114 controls.
Potential Biases
Underrepresentation of minority women may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Limitations
A single measurement of plasma 25-[OH] D concentrations may not reflect maternal vitamin D status throughout pregnancy, and the study is relatively small.
Participant Demographics
Participants were pregnant women attending prenatal care, with a majority being Non-Hispanic White.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.01–7.02
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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