Table 1.
Characteristics of the study population, enrollment through to birth.
| Variable | Mean ± SD or % (n) |
|---|---|
| Maternal characteristics at enrollment ANC-1 (N = 63) | |
| Maternal age, years | 22.5 ± 6.6 |
| Gestational age, weeks | 19.9 ± 5.7 |
| Body mass index, kg/m | 22.9 ± 2.9 |
| Anemia (Hb < 11.0 g/dL) | 47.5% (28) |
| Severe anemia (Hb < 8.5 g/dL) | 6.8% (4) |
| Maternal malaria infection (by qPCR) | 38.7% (24) |
| Maternal pathogenic protozoan 1 or helminth infection 2 | 45.2% (19) |
| Plasma 25(OH)D, nmol/L | 77.0 ± 31.5 |
| Plasma 25(OH)D, deficient (<50 nmol/L) | 20.6% (13) |
| Plasma 25(OH)D, insufficient (<75 nmol/L) | 50.8% (32) |
| Maternal characteristics throughout gestation | |
| ANC-2 Visit (N = 38) | |
| Gestational age, weeks | 23.6 ± 5.7 |
| Plasma 25(OH)D, nmol/L | 92.7 ± 32.3 |
| ANC-3 Visit (N = 39) | |
| Gestational age, weeks | 27.2 ± 6.2 |
| Plasma 25(OH)D, nmol/L | 96.6 ± 29.5 |
| ANC-4 Visit (N = 35) | |
| Gestational age, weeks | 30.4 ± 5.7 |
| Plasma 25(OH)D, nmol/L | 101.3 ± 28.1 |
| Plasma 25(OH)D in venous blood at delivery, nmol/L | 91.9 ± 32.6 |
| Newborn characteristics (N = 54) | |
| Female | 42.6% (23) |
| Gestational age at birth, weeks | 39.2 ± 2.8 |
| Preterm (<37 weeks of gestation) | 18.4% (9) |
| Birth weight, kg | 3.3 ± 0.4 |
| Length, cm | 49.0 ± 2.7 |
| Head circumference, cm | 35.4 ± 1.5 |
| Plasma 25(OH)D in cord blood, nmol/L | 64.9 ± 26.4 |
| Plasma 25(OH)D, deficient (<50 nmol/L) | 30.2% (13) |
| Plasma 25(OH)D, insufficient (<75 nmol/L) | 74.4% (32) |
1 Protozoans tested: Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia; 2 Helminth infections tested: hookworm, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, Schistosoma mansoni. 25(OH)D: 25-hydroxyvitamin D; ANC: antenatal clinic; Hb: hemoglobin; qPCR: quantitative polymerase chain reaction.