Assessing neonatal Vitamin D and the role of supplementation on health

Implementing personalized dosing strategies may help augment vitamin D levels in at-risk infants, thus enhancing overall neonatal health outcomes.

This prospective cross-sectional study investigated the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation as a standard dose for attaining acceptable levels in exclusively breast-fed newborns with varying cord 25(OH)D levels along with associated neonatal morbidities.

Term infants were categorized into three groups based on umbilical cord 25(OH)D levels: 

• Group 1 (Shortage, 25(OH)D = less than 12 ng/mL), 
• Group 2 (Insufficiency, 25(OH)D between 12 to 19 ng/mL)
• Group 3 (Ideal, 25(OH)D between 20 to 100 ng/mL)

A comparison of Cord and 1st-month 25(OH)D levels, following vitamin D (standard dose) prophylaxis, neonatal outcomes, and body measurements (height, weight, etc.) was done.

Overall, 86 infants were considered. Of the three, Group 1 exhibited considerably lower 25(OH)D levels in 1st month (p < 0.001). A notable positive correlation was observed in 25(OH)D levels between the cord and 1st month (r = 0.78, p < 0.001). 

Despite similar maternal age, Group 1 mothers had higher parity numbers and lower vitamin D usage during pregnancy. Examination of neonatal outcomes indicated increased frequency of respiratory distress, transient rapid breathing, early-onset sepsis, and prolonged hospitalization in the first month of newborns of this group (p < 0.05).

Infants with low cord vitamin D levels exhibited reduced 25(OH)D values in the 1st month of life and were linked with higher risks of morbidities in newborns.