Table 5

Association between vitamin D deficiency and adverse obstetric outcomes (N = 351), St. Francis Hospital, Uganda, 2023

Variablen (%)
Vitamin D < 20 ng/mL
n (%)
Vitamin D ≥ 20 ng/mL
aOR95% CIP value
Maternal outcomes
Admission to HDU/ICU
 No121 (85.8)194 (92.4)1.0
 Yes20 (14.2)16 (7.6)1.740.86 to 3.530.127
Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy
 No96 (68.6)181 (85.8)1.0
 Yes44 (31.4)30 (14.2)2.441.16 to 4.10<0.001
Gestational hypertension
 No119 (85.0)196 (92.9)1.0
 Yes21 (15.0)15 (7.1)2.191.21 to 4.940.014
Pre-eclampsia
 No121 (86.4)196 (92.9)1.0
 Yes19 (13.6)15 (7.1)1.810.92 to 3.670.103
Pre-eclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP
 No117 (83.6)196 (92.9)1.0
 Yes23 (16.4)15 (7.1)2.861.45 to 6.080.003
Gestational age at delivery (weeks)
 ≥37121 (85.8)201 (95.7)1.0
 <3720 (14.2)9 (4.3)3.991.78 to 10.84<0.001
Foetal outcomes
Pregnancy outcome
 Live birth137 (97.2)209 (99.5)1.0
 Stillbirth4 (2.8)1 (0.5)3.270.29 to 42.70.214
APGAR at 1 min
 7–10124 (87.9)198 (94.3)1.0
 4–68 (5.7)10 (4.8)1.190.57 to 4.090.829
 <49 (6.4)2 (0.9)8.923.38 to 62.90.004
Birth weight (kg)
 2.5–3.9115 (81.6)195 (92.9)1.0
 <2.516 (11.3)7 (3.3)4.162.63 to 13.620.001
 ≥410 (7.1)8 (3.8)2.330.98 to 7.340.093
  • 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.