Adverse Effects of Quarantine on Maternal and Neonatal Vitamin D Levels

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D deficiency, which is considered a global pandemic, has become an even more important problem during the COVID-19 quarantine period. Our aim with this study is to investigate the change in vitamin D levels in babies of pregnant women who could not benefit from UV-B rays during the quarantine period.
METHODS: Retrospective study, and infants with hypocalcemia and low vitamin D levels (<20 ng/mL) hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit for any reason were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups (study group and control group) and compared statistically. Study group of infants affected by the quarantine period (n: 94); The control group was infants (38 infants) who were hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit for any reason before the quarantine.
RESULTS: After the coronavirus quarantine period, annual hospitalization rates with the diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency increased from 1.4% to 3% (p: 0.035). There was a significant decrease in serum vitamin D levels of the babies in the study group (p: 0.001). Calcium treatment durations of the babies in the study group were higher than the babies in the control group (p: 0.045).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although it is known that the application of vitamin D and calcium supplementation to women before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and lactation period leads to positive results, especially in newborns during the quarantine period, we should be alert to vitamin D deficiency especially, in newborns in this period.