Features of pregnancy and childbirth in pregnant women with different vitamin D statuses

Vitamin D is an essential element for human health, and its deficiency has become a global concern, particularly among pregnant women. According to data, the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency reaches 58% in European countries, while in Ukraine, 81.8% of the population suffers from its deficiency. Vitamin D plays a critical role in pregnancy physiology, and its deficiency is associated with significant obstetric and perinatal complications. Aim - to determine the vitamin D status of pregnant women and its role in the occurrence of gestational complications. Materials and methods. The study, conducted at the Perinatal Center in Kyiv, aimed to assess the vitamin D levels in pregnant women and its impact on the development of obstetric complications. A total of 540 pregnant women were examined and divided into groups based on their vitamin D levels. Results. Vitamin D deficiency was observed in 46.8% of pregnant women, insufficiency in 37.1%, and only 16.1% had optimal levels. Women with deficiency had an average vitamin D level of 15.48±2.69 ng/mL, while those with insufficiency had 24.32±3.68 ng/mL (p<0.05 compared to the deficiency group). Women with vitamin D deficiency more frequently suffered from gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal disorders, with the risk of musculoskeletal pathology being increased by 4.38 times (p<0.05). The study found that vitamin D deficiency significantly raises the risk of preeclampsia (58.1%), preterm birth (50.2%), and fetal growth restriction (32.9%). Women with normal vitamin D levels more often delivered vaginally (57.1%). Cesarean surgeries were more often encountered in women with vitamin D deficiency. Conclusions. This study highlights the importance of timely diagnosis and correction of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women to reduce the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. The study was conducted following the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the participating institution. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for the research. The authors declare no conflict of interest.