Introduction. Inadequate vitamin D supply worldwide is a public health problem. Low vitamin D levels during pregnancy can lead to abnormal placentation, placental insufficiency and abnormal fetal development, which contributes to poor health after birth.Objective of the study is to analyze the vitamin D status of premature infants born in the south of Russia.Materials and methods. A total of 141 premature infants were examined. Extremely low birth weight was found in 19 (13.4%) newborns, very low birth weight in 35 (24.8%), and low birth weight in 75 (53.2%).Results and discussion. Premature infants had vitamin D deficiency in the majority of cases (51%), with a median of 16.9 [11.7; 22.9] ng/mL. Correlation analysis demonstrated a positive association between 25(OH)D levels and body weight in very low birth weight infants (r = 0.34, p = 0.043). Serum vitamin D concentrations were 1.6 times lower in infants whose mothers did not receive multivitamins than in those whose mothers received multivitamins, 13.8 [9.7; 20.9] and 21.6 [16.9; 28.6] ng/mL, respectively (p = 0.001). Infants with an Apgar score of 7-10 had higher vitamin D levels, 17.8 [11.9; 22.7] ng/mL, than infants with severe asphyxia, 13.8 [9.9; 16.8] ng/mL (p = 0.036). Premature infants with congenital infection had lower 25(OH)D levels than infants without an infectious process, 15.6 [10.8; 22.9] and 18.4 [14.2; 22.7] ng/mL, respectively. Children with an infectious process that subsequently ended in death had lower 25(OH)D levels than children without an infectious process (p = 0.001). Children with cerebral ischemia had lower 25(OH)D concentrations than children without cerebral ischemia (p = 0.001).Conclusions. Premature infants born in the south of Russia have vitamin D deficiency in more than half of the cases. Administration of preparations containing cholecalciferol reduces the proportion of newborns with severe vitamin D deficiency, but does not ensure optimal serum levels. Initially low levels of 25(OH)D can be considered as an unfavorable prognostic sign against the background of the development of congenital infection.

Introduction. Vitamin deficiency states are found in 50–80% of pregnant women. Vitamin D deficiency is hazardous because it significantly increases the risk of complications during pregnancy, childbirth, as well as its effect on the child’s condition. Aim. To analyse the relationships between vitamin D status and levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6) in children born to mothers with endocrine pathology.Materials and methods. Clinical-anthropometric and laboratory examination included 218 newborns: 98 (45.0%) infants of obese mothers, 32 (14.7%) infants of gestational diabetic mothers with underlying obesity, 22 (10.1%) infants of gestational diabetic mothers, 31 (14.2%) infants of mothers with type I diabetes mellitus and 35 (16.0%) infants of mothers without obesity and signs of impaired glucose tolerance.Results. Severe calcidiol deficiency is more often recorded in infants born to mothers with obesity, gestational diabetes mellitus and type I diabetes mellitus than in infants born to mothers without endocrine pathology. Serum IL-1β level was 2.6 times higher in newborns born to mothers with obesity than in the newborns from the control group — 14.6 (4.7; 36.5) and 5.6 (1.5; 13. 8) pg/ml, respectively (p = 0.04), 2.8 times higher in those born to women with gestational diabetes mellitus with underlying obesity —15.7 (6.5; 54.3) pg/ml (p = 0.02), 4.5 times higher in those born to mothers with gestational diabetes — 25.4 (5.0; 40.5) pg/ml (p = 0.035), and 6.1 times higher in those born to mothers with type I diabetes — 34.3 (3.8; 61.3) pg/ml (p = 0.01). Newborns born to mothers with type 1 diabetes mellitus had a higher serum IL-6 level as compared to the control group — 48.2 (21.3; 75.6) and 20.2 (5.1; 53.2) pg/ml (p = 0.006).Conclusion. Overweight and impaired glucose tolerance in the mother negatively affect the vitamin D sufficiency status, and if a fetus experiences vitamin D deficiency, provoke excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in newborns.

Objective: The objective is a comparative analysis of vitamin D content and level of proinflammatory cytokines in infants born by mothers with endocrine disorders, and in infants of women with normal body weight.Methods: The clinic-anthropometrical and laboratory observation of 78 children born in Stavropol Regional Clinical Perinatal Centre: 36 infants were born by women with obesity and 18 – by women with gestational diabetes mellitus associated with obesity, 24 – by women who did not have obesity and clinical and laboratory signs of intolerance to glucose (control group). The level of calcidiol and interleukin 1β and 6 were determined in blood serum.Results: The content of vitamin D in infants born by healthy women was higher than in infants born by mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus associated with obesity and by mothers with obesity. Infants born by mothers with obesity had higher level of proinflammotary cytokines than those of control group.Conclusions: Children, born by mothers with endocrine disorders, have lower level of calcidiol and require postnatal prevention of vitamin D deficiency. Also it is necessary to take vitamin D during the pregnancy to prevent complications in pregnancy and neonatal pathology.

Objectives To determine 1) socio-demographic factors related to parent engagement in the NICU, and 2) determine if the Supporting and Enhancing NICU Sensory Experiences (SENSE) program increased parent engagement. Background Preterm birth results in significant health complications, necessitating infant hospitalization. This alters early sensory experiences which are further impacted by challenges parents face engaging in care 1 . Parent participation in appropriate sensory activities can improve infant developmental outcomes 2 . Methods Sixty-four infants born £ 32 weeks gestation were randomized to SENSE or standard of care. SENSE included parent education and specific amounts of age-appropriate sensory exposures for parents to conduct each day of hospitalization. Bedside logs were used to record parent engagement in providing sensory exposures to their infants. Results Being married (p=0.02) and having private insurance (p=0.003), a college degree (p=0.046) and fewer children (p=0.02) related to more parent engagement. The SENSE intervention was related to increased engagement for young mothers (p<0.001) and those living farther from the NICU (p<0.001) with trends toward more engagement among African-American parents (p=.07). Conclusion Those with high social risk are less likely to engage in the NICU, but the SENSE program increased engagement among some high-risk groups.

Improvements in neonatal care for premature babies have led to significant improvements in survival rates for low and very low birth weight infants. Due to the characteristics of calcium-phosphorus homeostasis and bone metabolism, neonatologists often encounter skeletal system pathology in premature newborns. This condition is a metabolic disease of premature infants' bones based on a deficiency of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D, resulting in impaired growth and mineralization of the growing skeleton. Vitamin D is one of the most important regulators of bone metabolism. On the one hand, it stimulates the absorption of Ca2+ and P3-in the small intestine, and on the other hand, it has a direct effect on bone tissue cells (osteoblasts, osteocytes, osteoclasts, and chondrocytes) through the vitamin D receptors located in them. Risk factors for developing bone metabolism disorders in term and premature newborns, as well as the correlating role of vitamin D in skeletal formation and maintaining homeostasis, were considered.