Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Factors Among Antenatal Care Attending Pregnant Women in Sodo Town, South Ethiopia: A Facility-based Cross-sectional Study

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is an emerging public health problem globally, with devastating health consequences. Pregnant women are most susceptible for Vitamin D deficiency, and black women particularly are under double burden of the problem. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency and identify associated factors among antenatal care attending pregnant women.

Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study involving 331 pregnant women was conducted from March to April in 2021. Systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study participants from antenatal care service providing facilities. Data were collected by using interviewer-administered questionnaire and 5ml of blood sample was collected using aseptic techniques. Data were entered into Epi Data software version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the associated factors.

Results: In this study, about 39% of the women were Vitamin D deficient; of which 8.8% were severely deficient. The mean serum Vitamin D level was 24.43ng/ml. Women with Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥30 (AOR = 47.31; 95% CI: 3.94, 567.70) and who never ate egg had a higher chance of being Vitamin D deficient (AOR = 7.48; 95% CI: 1.02, 55.05). On the other hand, women who were exposed to mid-day time sunlight (AOR = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.77) were less likely to become Vitamin D deficient.

Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is higher among obese women and women who did not consume egg. Being exposed to mid-day sunlight is protective against Vitamin D deficiency. Having optimal body weight, mid-day sun light exposure and consumption of Vitamin D rich diet might contribute to reduce the risk of Vitamin D deficiency.