Investigating the relationship between mother\'s vitamin D serum level and neonatal outcomes in Imam Khomeini Hospital

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common among pregnant women and can lead to maternal and fetal complications during pregnancy. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between the mother's vitamin D serum level and the infant's anthropometric indices and neurodevelopment. Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted on a group of pregnant women who visited Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran from September to March 2020. Demographic information and anthropometric characteristics of the newborn were collected using the medical record. Blood samples were collected at the time of delivery to evaluate the mother's vitamin D status, and serum vitamin D levels were measured using standard laboratory procedures. The neurodevelopment of infants was assessed at the age of 6 months through the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ). Data analysis included using descriptive statistics to summarize maternal and neonatal characteristics. The relationships between maternal serum vitamin D levels, neonatal anthropometric indicators, and neurodevelopmental outcomes were examined through Spearman's rank correlation and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: In total, 123 pregnant women participated in this study, with a mean age of 31.41 years (±5.75). The mean birth weight, height, and head circumference of the neonates were 3208.33 grams (±706.05), 34.32 cm (±3.91), and 50.33 cm (±2.30), respectively. Statistical analysis showed no significant correlations between maternal serum vitamin D levels and the infants' weight (P=0.318), height (P=0.531), or head circumference (P=0.241). Furthermore, there was no significant association between maternal vitamin D levels and any of the assessed neurodevelopmental domains at six months (P > 0.05). Conclusion: While this study did not find a positive correlation between the mother's vitamin D serum level and the anthropometric indices and neurodevelopmental domains of infants at six months, it is important to interpret these results cautiously due to the study's limitations. Thus, it is advisable to conduct prospective cohort studies with large sample sizes in diverse demographics nationwide.