American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Volume 84, Issue 2, 2006, Pages 350-353

High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant non-Western women in the Hague, Netherlands (Article)

Van Der Meer I.M.* , Karamali N.S. , Boeke A.J.P. , Lips P. , Middelkoop B.J.C. , Verhoeven I. , Wuister J.D.
  • a Municipal Health Service of the Hague, The Hague, Netherlands, Gemeente Den Haag, Dienst OCW/EGG, Postbus 12 652, 2500 DP Den Haag, Netherlands
  • b Municipal Health Service of the Hague, The Hague, Netherlands
  • c Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine (EMGO), Vrije University Medical Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • d Institute for Research in Extramural Medicine (EMGO), Vrije University Medical Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Department of Endocrinology, Vrije University Medical Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • e Municipal Health Service of the Hague, The Hague, Netherlands, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands
  • f Femme Midwives' Practice, The Hague, Netherlands
  • g De Rubenshoek Primary Health Care Centre, The Hague, Netherlands

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common in dark-skinned persons living in northern countries. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy may have serious consequences for both mother and child. Objective: The objective was to ascertain the prevalence of vitamin Ddeficiency in pregnant women of several ethnic backgrounds who were living in The Hague, a large city in the Netherlands. Design: Midwives whose practice was visited by a large number of non-Western immigrants added the assessment of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] to the standard blood test given to women who visited the practice during week 12 of pregnancy. Subsequently, the Municipal Health Service collected additional data from the midwives' files (June 2002 through March 2004): background variables, use of tobacco or alcohol or drugs, and infectious diseases. The women were grouped ethnically as Western, Turkish, Moroccan, and other non-Western. Results: The vitamin D concentrations of 358 women were found in the midwives' files. Of these women, 29% were Western, 22% were Turkish, and 19% were Moroccan. Mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations in Turkish (15.2 ± 12.1 nmol/L), Moroccan (20.1 ± 13.5 nmol/L), and other non-Western women (26.3 ± 25.9 nmol/L) were significantly (P ≤ 0.001) lower than those in Western women (52.7 ± 21.6 nmol/L). Serum 25(OH)D was below the detection limit in 22% of the Turkish women. The differences between ethnic groups were not confounded by other determinants such as age, socioeconomic status, or parity. Conclusions: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant non-Western women in the Netherlands is very high, and screening should be recommended. © 2006 American Society for Nutrition.

Author Keywords

Pregnancy Women Ethnic groups Hypovitaminosis D Vitamin D deficiency Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D Prevalence

Index Keywords

Netherlands immigrant drinking behavior physiology pregnancy complication Pregnancy Complications vitamin blood level human Vitamin D health service Turkey (republic) Cigarette Smoking controlled study ethnology Humans ethnic difference Adolescent 25 hydroxyvitamin D female socioeconomics pregnancy prevalence vitamin D deficiency Article blood major clinical study adult blood analysis migration midwife Turkey skin pigmentation drug use Emigration and Immigration infection parity Analysis of Variance nutritional status 25-hydroxyvitamin D drug derivative Morocco Nicotiana tabacum
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33748439836&partnerID=40&md5=4731c0332b967cbdcf338f4edfd2cde8
ISSN: 00029165
Cited by: 218
Original Language: English