Placental Calcification and Vitamin D Deficiency in Low-Risk Pregnant Women

Background: the placental calcification is often considered as a physiologic aging process of the placenta but it may be accompanied with the altered levels of vitamin d (vit d). the aim of this study was to evaluate association between placental calcification and vit d in low risk pregnant women. materials and methods: in a case-control study eighty otherwise healthy pregnant women with a gestational age between 37-41 weeks were recruited and divided into the case (n=40), and control (n=40) groups (based on the result of the ultrasonography and according to the grannum grading). the serum of calcium in pregnant women and vit d level in cord blood were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (hplc). neonatal anthropometric values were measured after birth, too. results: most of the pregnant women (n=74, 92%) showed either insufficiency or deficiency of vitamin d in cord while calcium levels were normal in both groups. serum calcium showed a significant difference between two groups [p=0.042, odds ratio (or): 2.006, 95% confidence interval (ci): 1.024-3.928], but vitamin d did not (p=0.144, or: 1.048, 95%ci: 0.984-1.115). vitamin d level had a significant relationship with calcification of the placenta as well as maternal age, gestational age, and birth weight.conclusion: it is better to measure calcium and vitamin d in mothers with calcified placenta because the vitamin d level had a significant relationship with placental calcification and we recommend the administration of vitamin d in pregnant women.