Authors

• Sima Hashemipour ¹
• Neda Esmailzadehha ²
• Amir Ziaee ³
• Mohammad Hossein Khoeiniha ⁴
• Elham Darvishgoftar ⁵
• Zahra Mesgari ⁵
• Fatemeh Pashazade ⁶
• Shokohossadat Abotorabi ⁷

¹ Associate Professor of Endocrinology, Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

² General Practitioner, Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

³ Professor of Endocrinology, Pediatric Growth and Development Research Center, Institute of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

⁴ Pathologist, Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

⁵ Assistant of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

⁶ Instructor of Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

⁷ Assistant Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Metabolic Diseases Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.

Abstract

Background
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with physiologic changes that are similar to pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Although association of vitamin D and preeclampsia has been studied previously, their results are not consistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of serum vitamin D and calcium with preeclampsia severity.
Materials and Methods: This case- control study was conducted in 75 healthy pregnant women and 74 pregnant women with preeclampsia (46 mild preeclampsia and 28 severe preeclampsia) in Qazvin, Iran in 2015. Serum vitamin D, calcium, and albumin were measured; corrected calcium was also calculated. Hypocalcemia and vitamin D deficiency were compared between the groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the independent association of hypocalcemia and hypovitaminosis D with preeclampsia.
Results
Mean serum vitamin D level was 27.7±15.3, 22.9±15.9, and 27.6±16.6 in normal, mild preeclampsia, and severe preeclampsia groups (P> 0.05); also vitamin D deficiency was not different between the groups. Hypocalcemia in severe preeclampsia group was more frequent than normal group (25.9% vs. 6.6%, P: 0.017). Hypocalcemia was associated with severe preeclampsia after adjustment for age, parity, and calcium supplement consumption (OR: 6.7, 95% CI: 1.45-30.79; P: 0.015).
Conclusion
There was not any association between vitamin D deficiency and preeclampsia in the present study, however low corrected serum calcium was associated with about six times increased risk of sever preeclampsia. More studies are needed to determine the role of hypocalcemia and vitamin D in preeclampsia.

Keywords

• Hypocalcemia
• Pre-eclampsia
• pregnancy
• Vitamin D deficiency