Association between vitamin D deficiency and adverse obstetric outcomes (N = 351), St. Francis Hospital, Uganda, 2023
| Variable | n (%) Vitamin D < 20 ng/mL | n (%) Vitamin D ≥ 20 ng/mL | aOR | 95% CI | P value |
| Maternal outcomes | |||||
| Admission to HDU/ICU | |||||
| No | 121 (85.8) | 194 (92.4) | 1.0 | ||
| Yes | 20 (14.2) | 16 (7.6) | 1.74 | 0.86 to 3.53 | 0.127 |
| Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy | |||||
| No | 96 (68.6) | 181 (85.8) | 1.0 | ||
| Yes | 44 (31.4) | 30 (14.2) | 2.44 | 1.16 to 4.10 | <0.001 |
| Gestational hypertension | |||||
| No | 119 (85.0) | 196 (92.9) | 1.0 | ||
| Yes | 21 (15.0) | 15 (7.1) | 2.19 | 1.21 to 4.94 | 0.014 |
| Pre-eclampsia | |||||
| No | 121 (86.4) | 196 (92.9) | 1.0 | ||
| Yes | 19 (13.6) | 15 (7.1) | 1.81 | 0.92 to 3.67 | 0.103 |
| Pre-eclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP | |||||
| No | 117 (83.6) | 196 (92.9) | 1.0 | ||
| Yes | 23 (16.4) | 15 (7.1) | 2.86 | 1.45 to 6.08 | 0.003 |
| Gestational age at delivery (weeks) | |||||
| ≥37 | 121 (85.8) | 201 (95.7) | 1.0 | ||
| <37 | 20 (14.2) | 9 (4.3) | 3.99 | 1.78 to 10.84 | <0.001 |
| Foetal outcomes | |||||
| Pregnancy outcome | |||||
| Live birth | 137 (97.2) | 209 (99.5) | 1.0 | ||
| Stillbirth | 4 (2.8) | 1 (0.5) | 3.27 | 0.29 to 42.7 | 0.214 |
| APGAR at 1 min | |||||
| 7–10 | 124 (87.9) | 198 (94.3) | 1.0 | ||
| 4–6 | 8 (5.7) | 10 (4.8) | 1.19 | 0.57 to 4.09 | 0.829 |
| <4 | 9 (6.4) | 2 (0.9) | 8.92 | 3.38 to 62.9 | 0.004 |
| Birth weight (kg) | |||||
| 2.5–3.9 | 115 (81.6) | 195 (92.9) | 1.0 | ||
| <2.5 | 16 (11.3) | 7 (3.3) | 4.16 | 2.63 to 13.62 | 0.001 |
| ≥4 | 10 (7.1) | 8 (3.8) | 2.33 | 0.98 to 7.34 | 0.093 |
Variables with p values lower than 0.05, considered to be significant at the 5% level, are highlighted in bold.
aOR, adjusted OR; HDU, high-dependency unit; HELLP, haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets; ICU, intensive care unit.