Comparison of Serum Vitamin D in the Umbilical Cord of Survived with Not Survived Premature Infants

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with prematurity, respiratory problems and infections. These are important causes of death in premature neonates. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the vitamin D level in the blood of preterm live neonates discharged with those neonates who did not survive. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 335 premature infants (less than 34 weeks of gestation) were discharged and 48 infants died. We examined their umbilical cord blood for vitamin D. Results: Eighty-eight percent of our premature neonates had vitamin D deficiency. The mean of vitamin D in the survived neonates was 14.87 +/- 10.94 and in those who succumbed their prematurity it was 9.4 +/- 6.52 ng/mL(P< 0.01). There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the type of delivery, Apgar score of first and fifth minutes, duration of oxygen therapy and gestational age (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study showed that most premature neonates have a severe vitamin D deficiency, and this deficiency was more pronounced in the dead neonates than in those that survived, despite eliminated the role of gestational age. Measurement of cord blood vitamin D level may help predict the prognosis for premature neonates.