Authors

1 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Medical College, Tikrit University.

2 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Salaheddin General Hospital.

3 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Azadi Teaching Hospital, Kirkuk.

Abstract

Background: Neural tube defects NTDs constitute a major health burden (0.5-2/1000 pregnancies worldwide), and remain a preventable cause of neonatal and infant death. Vitamin D is fat soluble, primarily involved in the metabolism of calcium, phosphorus and regulates bone minerilization. Objective of This Study: To assess the relation between low serum Vitamin D level in pregnancies complicated by NTDs in comparison with normal pregnancies. Patients and Methods: A case- control study, carried out in Salaheddin General Hospital from February 2017 to the September 2017. This study involved 30 pregnant women whose pregnancies were complicated by NTDs and 30 women with normal pregnancies with assessment of vitamin D in each group. Results: Low serum vitamin D level was found in 26 women (86.7%) had severe vitamin D deficiency and 4(13.3%) had moderate Vitamin D deficiency of the cases and 6 (20%) of the controls had moderate vitamin D deficiency. With a statistical significant at a p- value = <0.05. Serum Ca level was found to be a low in (100%) of those with NTDs pregnancies cases group, while it was low in (7%) of control group. There was a significant relationship between the presence of NTDs and low serum Ca at a p- value = <0.05. Conclusions: In this study there is an association between NTDs and low serum vitamin D levels, adding to the evidence about the importance of nutritional and maternal health factors in the etiology of this disease. Vitamin D supplementation can be advised for the further decrease in the recurrence and occurrence of NTDs.

Keywords