Publication: Evaluating the association between dietary intake, sunlight exposure and serum vitamin d level with maternal comorbidities in Hospital Pengajar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM)
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Date
2025-01
Authors
Rajkumar, Niranjanaa
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Abstract
Maternal Comorbidities is defined as the combination of one or more diseases among pregnant women. This study focuses on hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). Based on a population-based study, the incidence of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy increased from 16.30 million to 18.08 million globally, with a total increase of 10.92 % from 1990 to 2019.
More than 50% of women with GDM are expected to develop T2DM within 5 years of the index pregnancy. Several studies reported increased risk of preeclampsia when Vitamin D levels are low and plays a role in glucose homeostasis. However, limited research has explored the interaction between dietary intake, sunlight exposure, and serum Vitamin D levels in predicting maternal health outcomes in Malaysia. Current comparative cross-sectional study aimed to compare dietary Vitamin D intake, sunlight exposure, and serum Vitamin D levels of healthy pregnant women and women with maternal comorbidities. A total of 207 pregnant women who attended antenatal care in HPUSM were recruited in the study, with 152 of them in healthy group and 55 of them in maternal comorbidities group. Study subjects who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected through purposive sampling technique. Semi structured questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic, obstetric history and sun exposure log meanwhile dietary data of each study subject was assessed through semi-quantitative, vitamin D specific food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Blood withdrawal was done to analyse serum vitamin D levels. A significant association is present between maternal age and gestational age across groups However, no significant associations were reported between serum vitamin D levels, sunlight exposure and dietary vitamin D intake with
healthy and maternal comorbidities groups. Conclusively, current study found that there is no association between vitamin D and maternal comorbidities.