Role of Vitamin D Supplementation in Improving Hemoglobin Among Pregnant Women

Abstract

Hypovitaminosis D and iron deficiency anemia are prevalent global health concerns, particularly among pregnant women. Both conditions are associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. While vitamin D and iron are essential during pregnancy, the nature of their interaction remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the effect of vitamin D supplementation on hemoglobin (Hb) levels and overall hematological status in pregnant women with mild to moderate iron deficiency anemia. An interventional study was conducted involving 50 pregnant women diagnosed with mild to moderate iron deficiency anemia. Participants received different forms of vitamin D supplementation over an average period of 24.62 ± 8.31 weeks. Serum levels of vitamin D, hemoglobin, and ferritin were measured both before and after treatment. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate associations between vitamin D and hematological markers, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.The mean age of participants was 33.38 ± 5.79 years. Vitamin D levels significantly improved following supplementation, increasing from a deficient baseline of 12.62 ± 5.80 ng/mL to 20.95 ± 7.24 ng/mL. Despite this improvement, no significant correlations were found between pre-treatment vitamin D levels and hemoglobin (r = 0.045, p = 0.757), or ferritin (r = 0.199, p = 0.165). Similarly, post-treatment values showed no significant association between vitamin D and ferritin (r = 0.068, p = 0.640), with only weak correlations observed for hemoglobin. In conclusion, vitamin D supplementation effectively raised vitamin D levels in pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia, but showed no significant correlation with hemoglobin or ferritin levels. These findings suggest a more complex interaction between vitamin D and iron metabolism, highlighting the need for further research, including randomized controlled trials and assessment of other regulatory markers such as hepcidin.