[Nutritional status of vitamin D in mothers and neonates of Ushuaia and Buenos Aires].

Serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, total alkaline phosphatase (AP) and 25 hydroxyvitamin D (250HD) were measured at the end of the winter in Group 1 (Ushuaia, latitude 55 degrees S): 16 women (24-48 hs postpartum serum blood) and 20 neonates (cord blood) and in Group 2 (Buenos Aires, latitude 34 degrees S) 21 women (24-48 hs postpartum serum blood) and their 21 neonates (cord blood). The neonatal serum calcium and phosphorus were higher and the neonatal serum AP and 250HD level were lower than maternal levels in both groups (Table 1 and 2). Serum levels of 250HD were diminished (< 8 ng/ml) in 62% of the mothers and 81% of the neonates of Ushuaia and in 24% of the mothers and 16% of the neonates of Buenos Aires (figure 1). Neonatal serum 250HD levels correlate with maternal serum 250HD levels in the paired group of Buenos Aires (r = 0.65, p < 0.003) (Figure 2). In Ushuaia the serum 250HD levels (X +/- SD) in neonates (3.9 +/- 2.7 ng/ml) and in mothers (6.3 +/- 4.8 ng/ml) were lower than in Buenos Aires (neonates: 11.3 +/- 6.0 ng/ml and mothers: 14.4 +/- 8.4 ng/ml, p < 0.001). Maternal serum calcium levels were lower in Ushuaia (8.7 +/- 0.8 mg/dl) than in Buenos Aires (9.2 +/- 0.4 mg/dl) (p < 0.05). In conclusion, 1) In Ushuaia pregnant women and their neonates had a deficient nutritional state of vitamin D. Preventive administration of vitamin D would probably be beneficial.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)