Vitamin D levels in pregnant women booking for antenatal care in Far North Queensland

Abstract

Serum concentrations of vitamin D were measured in pregnant women booking for antenatal care in Cairns Base Hospital, Queensland. Of 116 women, none was found to be vitamin D deficient. With a threshold of 50 nmol/L, no woman demonstrated vitamin D insufficiency; with a threshold of 75 nmol/L, 6.9% would have mild insufficiency. Further investigation into vitamin D concentrations of women living in northern Australia is required before recommendations are made for universal vitamin D screening of all pregnant women in Australia.

Prospective audit of vitamin D levels of women presenting for their first antenatal visit at a tertiary centre

“…Applying the 50 nmol/L cut‐off to our studied population yields a similar rate in the low‐risk group of 27.7%; however, 67.5% of high‐risk women would still have been considered vitamin D deficient (Table ). This is in contrast to the findings of Bendall et al . of 0% of women with vitamin D levels <50 nmol/L and 6.9% <75 nmol/L in a population of 116 antenatal women in Cairns, far north Queensland.…”

Vitamin D Deficiency in Pregnant Women at a Tertiary Hospital in Western Sydney

“…In Australia, a number of studies from different states have found varying prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in their population, and therefore have different protocols for screening and or treating vitamin D deficiency amongst their population of pregnant women. In one study, conducted at Cairns Base Hospital, no of the pregnant women tested for 25(OH)D levels were found to be deficient [15]. Conversely, In Canberra and Campbelltown Hospitals the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency was 35 and 25.7% respectively.…”

Vitamin D insufficiency among hospitalised children in the Northern Territory

“…In the northernmost regions of the Northern Territory, sunshine hours and UV index are well above the national average; however, population data on vitamin D in this region are lacking. In a study from far North Queensland, only 7% of 116 women presenting for antenatal care were vitamin D insufficient (<75 nmol/L), though Indigenous women had significantly lower 25OHD3 levels, with the median just above 75 nmol/L . In 2011, a national survey of Australian adults over 25 years of age ( n = 11,247) found 73% insufficiency (<75 nmol/L) overall .…”