Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance that is first diagnosed during pregnancy resulting from pregnancy associated insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion. We aimed to investigate the frequency of vitamin D deficiency and its relation with glucose parameters and the incidence of gestational diabetes.

Materials and methods: Gestational diabetes was diagnosed with 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. 32 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM. Serum, 25(OH)D, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), TSH, and HbA1c, were also measured. Vitamin D status was classified as deficiency at ≤20 ng/ml for serum 25(OH)D concentrations.

Results: The mean ages were 32.06±6.22 (20–43) years. The mean vitamin D level was 19.36±12.07 ng/ml. The mean calcium level was 9.06±0.32. The mean fasting glucose level was 95.75±14.74. The mean HbA1c level was 5.83±1.29. The mean TSH level was 1.95±0.95. There was no significant association between vitamin D levels and fasting glucose, TSH, and HbA1c.

Conclusion: Our study provides data indicating that maternal vitamin D deficiency (serum 25(OH)D <20 ng/ml) is prevalent among our pregnant population. However we did not find significant association of low levels of serum 25(OH)D with elevated risk for GDM even after adjustment for conventional risk factors for diabetes. The association of maternal vitamin D status with the markers of glucose metabolism in pregnancy needs prospective studies.