Berry, Sèyigbéna P. Déo-Gracias, Honkpèhedji, Yabo Josiane, Ludwig, Esther, Mahmoudou, Saïdou, Prodjinotho, Ulrich Fabien, Adamou, Rafiou, Nouatin, Odilon P., Adégbitè, Bayode R., Dejon-Agobe, Jean Claude, Mba, Romuald Beh, Maloum, Moustapha, Nkoma, Anne Marie Mouima, Zinsou, Jeannot Fréjus, Luty, Adrian J. F., Esen, Meral, Adégnika, Ayôla Akim, and Prazeres da Costa, Clarissa
Poor birth outcomes in low- and middle income countries are associated with maternal vitamin D deficiency and chronic helminth infections. Here, we investigated whether maternal Schistosoma haematobium affects maternal or cord vitamin D status as well as birth outcomes. In a prospective cross-sectional study of pregnant women conducted in Lambaréné, Gabon, we diagnosed maternal parasitic infections in blood, urine and stool. At delivery we measured vitamin D in maternal and cord blood. S. haematobium, soil-transmitted helminths, and microfilariae were found at prevalences of 30.2%, 13.0%, and 8.8%, respectively. Insufficient vitamin D and calcium levels were found in 28% and 15% of mothers, and in 11.5% and 1.5% of newborns. Mothers with adequate vitamin D had lower risk of low birthweight babies (aOR = 0.11, 95% CI 0.02–0.52, p = 0.01), whilst offspring of primipars had low cord vitamin D levels, and low vitamin D levels increased the risk of maternal inflammation. Maternal filariasis was associated with low calcium levels, but other helminth infections affected neither vitamin D nor calcium levels in either mothers or newborns. Healthy birth outcomes require maintenance of adequate vitamin D and calcium levels. Chronic maternal helminth infections do not disrupt those levels in a semi-rural setting in sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]