Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency is known to cause adverse outcomes in pregnancy and has shown to have an association with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between GDM and Vitamin D

Materials and Methods: In a retrospective study we explored the Vitamin D levels (Sufficient >50nmol/l - G1, Insufficient 25-50nmol/l - G2, Deficient <25nmol/l - G3), GTT results, diabetes status and pregnancy outcomes of 250 pregnant women of multiple ethnicities who attended the antenatal clinic between 2018 and 2022. Blood tests and glucose tolerance tests (GTT) were performed at 26-28 weeks of pregnancy. All patients were on Pregnacare (multivitamin tablets including Vitamin D 400IU from booking).

Results: Mean Vitamin D in G1 was 64.13 ±10.27 nmol/l, in G2 was 38.39 ± 7.26 nmol/l and in G3 was 20.15 ± 3.37 nmol/l. The mean fasting sugar in G1 was 5.00 ± 0.70 nmol/l, G2 was 5.13 ± 0.82 mmol and G3 was 5.73±1.24 mmol; P=0.003 for G3 vs G2 +G1, P=0.005 for G3 vs G2. Caucasian group had a mean Vitamin D of 45.15 ±16.75 nmol/l and in South Asian (SA) group 41.17±18.03 nmol/l. GTT in the two groups were: 0 min –5.05 ± 0.82 mmol and 5.28 ± 0.92 mmol (P=0.05), and GTT 2 h –7.03 ± 2.20 mmol and 8.11 ± 2.17 mmol (P=0.0007) respectively. Mean BMI in Caucasian and SA group was 31.24 ± 7.25 and 28.64 ± 5.08 (P=0.01) and baby birth weight was 3.30 ± 0.48 kg and 3.05 ± 0.60 kg (P=0.004), respectively.

Conclusion: Pregnant women with low Vitamin D were found to have elevated fasting sugars irrespective of the ethnicity and South Asians are more prone to have GDM. Caucasians had higher BMI and larger babies.