Background Vitamin D deficiency is a common occurrence, which affects maternal health during pregnancy. Evidence is accumulating for a role of a low level of vitamin D during the early pregnancy as a risk factor for the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Our objectives are to describe the patterns of vitamin D levels in early pregnancy in mothers attending main antenatal services in Ajdabiya city, during the first quarter of the year 2017 and to examine the relationship between vitamin D levels and glucose metabolic derangements in pregnant women among the above-described population. Methods A cohort study was conducted in healthy pregnant women attending routine antenatal care in Ajdabiya city in 2017. All mothers were screened for serum 25 (OH) D level and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and anthropometric by the time of booking during the first trimester (gestational age "GA" 7-15th week of pregnancy). All women with low 25 (OH) D level were screened for GDM with non-fasting post-challenge blood glucose and confirmed by OGTT according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) classification of GDM criteria in their 2nd trimester. Data was analyzed by using SPSS, IBM 20.0. Results All mothers in the study population were Libyan, their ages ranged from 18-43 years. Parity ranged from nulliparous to P10. More than 60% of mothers were housewives while others were either working or students and considered as having an outdoor lifestyle. In the first trimester, we detected 412 mothers had serum vitamin D3 below normal, the majority of cases had deficient serum 25 (OH) D (391, 94.9%) while 21 (5.1%) women had an insufficient serum 25 (OH) D. Serum 25 (OH) D ranged from 5.9-30.0 ng/ml. In the 2nd trimester, we confirmed 43 (10.43%) pregnant women with GDM out of 391 women with deficient serum 25 (OH) D level. 25 (OH) D deficiency was statistically significant (p = 0.035, OR = 0.963, 95% CI = 0.881-0.996) and associated with all GDM cases. Conclusion We conclude that 25 (OH) D deficiency was significantly correlated with GDM, as a consequence, the deficiency of 25 (OH) D could act as a risk factor for GDM. This result implies the necessity of focusing on vitamin D3 supplementation for women of childbearing age.

Background: Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the pregnant women. This study was conducted to investigate the possible contribution and impact of iron status on pregnancy in a costal population. One hundred seventy pregnant women aged between 18-38 years are taken in the current study. The women were followed up weekly till delivery after which neonatal anthropometrics and other birth out comes were recorded. Mean serum Hemoglobin, ferritin and iron were found to be lower in 3rd trimester as compared to 1st trimester, which become lower at postpartum then reach nearly to normal value during lactation. While serum ferritin was found to be lower in 2nd trimester as compared to 1st trimester, it was significantly higher in 3rd as compared to second trimesters and also decreased at postpartum and lactation. Serum TIBC, transferrin and Fe/TIBC levels increased during 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters, Serum TIBC also elevated at postpartum, then decreased during lactation. This result provides that, it is important to detect which form of iron become abnormal during trimesters of pregnancy, postpartum and lactation which may lead to cause of nutritional deficiency in pregnant women, so as to reduce public problem.