Depressed infants have very low Vitamin D (7.5 ng) – June 2023


Serum Vitamin D status in full-term neonates with severe perinatal depression

J Neonatal Perinatal Med . 2023;16(2):257-264. doi: 10.3233/NPM-230020 PDF is behind a $27 paywall
P Batra 1, P Singh 1, R S Ahmed 2, D Harit 1

Background: Severe perinatal depression is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in neonates. Vitamin D levels were observed to be low in mothers and their neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in some studies, owing to its neuroprotective properties.

Objective: Primary objective was to compare vitamin D deficiency state in full term neonates with severe perinatal depression and healthy term controls. Secondary objectives were to determine sensitivity and specificity of serum 25(OH)D<12 ng/mL in predicting mortality, development of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, abnormal neurological examination at discharge, and developmental outcome at 12 weeks of age.

Material and methods: Serum 25(OH)D levels in full term neonates with severe perinatal depression and healthy controls were compared.

Results: Serum 25(OH)D levels in severe perinatal depression and controls (n = 55 each group) were significantly different (7.50 ± 3.53 ng/mL vs 20.23 ± 12.70 ng/mL). At cut-off of < 12 ng/mL, serum 25(OH)D could predict mortality with 100% sensitivity and 17% specificity and poor developmental outcomes with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 50%.

Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency status at birth can serve as an effective screening tool and poor prognostic markers in term neonates with severe perinatal depression.


VitaminDWiki - 5 studies in both categories Depression and Infant-Child

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Intervention of Vitamin D for Depression


Meta-analyses of Vitamin D and Depression


VitaminDWiki – Depression contains

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