Abstract
Background: Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant mothers is a widely recognized public health problem. Methods: A cross-sectional study of pregnant women who gave birth at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from January 1, 2015, to June 30, 2015, to determine the prevalence and potential risk factors of Vitamin D deficiency and to correlate maternal and cord blood Vitamin D levels. Results: A total of 201 motheruinfant pairs were enrolled. There was a high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency both in mothers (90.5%) and their infants (86%). There was no statistically significant difference in age, parity, body mass index, skin color, education, and employment status between mothers with deficient Vitamin D levels and those with Vitamin D levels 50 nmol/L. There was a statistically, significant positive correlation between maternal and cord blood Vitamin D levels (r = 0.83, P< 0.001). Conclusion: We demonstrated a high prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant mothers, which was strongly correlated with cord blood Vitamin D levels. Clinical trials on the effect of supplementing Vitamin D to pregnant mothers and its effect on maternal and neonatal outcomes should be the focus of future research.