The Relation Between Maternal / Neonatal Vitamin D Levels and Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis

In addition to its classical role in bone metabolism, vitamin D also has an immunomodulatory effects on immune function. Our aim was to determine the relation between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D(25(OH)D) concentrations in newborns and their mothers with early onset neonatal sepsis (EOS). Also we aim to study the effect of severity of vitamin D deficiency on incidence of EOS. The design comprises a hospital- based case- control study. The study group consisted of 50 newborns with EOS who was admitted to neonatal intensive care unit and their mothers. Controls were 50 healthy newborns of the same age as the study group and their mothers. The study subjects were divided into insufficient, moderate and severe deficiency according to vitamin D level. There is no significant statistical difference between study and control groups in gestational week, birth weight, birth height, head circumference and age. The mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations in the study group newborns were significantly lower than those of the control group (11.58±4.883 ng/ml and 28.78±6.453 ng/ml respectively). The 25(0H)D concentrations of newborns were highly correlated with mothers’ serum in both groups. Severe vitamin D deficiency was significantly more common in the sepsis group. Data shows that 25(OH)D concentrations of the newborns were highly correlated with the level of CRP, duration of hospital stay, and complications caused by sepsis. Our findings suggest that newborns with vitamin D deficiency may have an increased risk of suffering from EOS. Newborns with more vitamin D deficiency were found to have higher CRP levels, a longer hospital stay, and a higher incidence of complications. The strong positive correlation between newborns’ and their mothers’ 25(OH)D concentrations makes that adequate vitamin D supplementation of mothers during pregnancy is of great importance, through a proper ante-natal care, especially in winter months.