Kaniz Zehra Naqvi, Hir Ali S Tahir, Savita Th Ontia, Madiha.
Prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant population at term attending a tertiary care hospital Karachi, Pakistan.
Pak J Surg Jan ;28(2):122-5.

Objective:To estimate the prevalence of Vitamin D defi ciency in pregnant women at term(>37 weeks &<42 weeks of gestation) att ending a tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Method: Th is is a cross sectional study and non- probability purposive sampling technique was applied with 360 women in labour presenting with singleton pregnancy at Liaquat National Hospital. Data was recorded on a special form, maternal blood was taken immediately aft er delivery. Th e blood was analysed for 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 19.Comparisons were made using chi-square test. Results: statistical analyses were performed on 349 females as 11 blood samples were haemolysed.(243)69.6%females were found to be defi cient in vitamin D and the mean levels were 27.33ng/ml. 146 females were parda observers and out of these (115) 78.8% were defi cient in vitamin D. Th ere was a positive correlation between lack of exposure to sunshine and levels of vitamin D(P<0.002). No signifi cant diff erence of vitamin D levels were found between diff erent ethnic groups. Conclusion: vitamin D defi ciency is high among pregnant females. Lack of exposure to sun(parda/veil) is a statistically signifi cant risk factor for vitamin D defi ciency.

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