Vitamin D Insufficiency Is Prevalent among Pregnant African American Adolescents

Abstract Study Objective Recent attention has focused on vitamin D insufficiency but few data exist on vitamin D status among pregnant minority youth. Design A screening study was undertaken in adolescents having prenatal blood samples drawn for other routine tests obtained during the second trimester (18 ± 1.8 week gestation, n = 44) or third trimester of pregnancy (28.4 ± 2.1 week gestation, n = 36). Serum 25- hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured and significant determinants of vitamin D insufficiency in this cohort were identified. Setting Urban prenatal clinic. Participants Eighty pregnant African American adolescents (≤ 18 y of age). Main Outcome Measure(s) Vitamin D status, STDs, hemoglobin, season, birth weight Results Serum 25(OH)D in this group averaged 21.6 ± 8 ng/mL (age 16.5 ± 1.1 y, n = 80), and did not significantly differ between the second (20.95 ± 8.2 ng/mL, n = 44) and third trimester cohorts (22.5 ± 7.9 ng/mL, n = 36). Vitamin D insufficiency (< 20 ng/mL) was evident in 46.25% and vitamin D deficiency (