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Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health

Influence of Maternal Prenatal Vitamin D Status on Infant Oral Health

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important nutrient. For many, this may be the <strong>on</strong>ly regular and affordable source <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

vitamin D in the diet. Results from our regressi<strong>on</strong> analysis revealed that daily<br />

c<strong>on</strong>sumpti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> milk was str<strong>on</strong>gly associated with higher 25(OH)D c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong>s during<br />

pregnancy. This is c<strong>on</strong>sistent with another recent publicati<strong>on</strong> from western Canada. 12<br />

Another str<strong>on</strong>g predictor <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> participants vitamin D levels during pregnancy was<br />

their socioec<strong>on</strong>omic status (SES). ANOVA revealed that maternal educati<strong>on</strong> level was<br />

associated with 25(OH)D levels; those who had not completed high school had<br />

significantly lower c<strong>on</strong>centrati<strong>on</strong>s. This observati<strong>on</strong> was also c<strong>on</strong>firmed through multiple<br />

regressi<strong>on</strong> analysis suggesting that educati<strong>on</strong> and vitamin D levels are associated. Little<br />

published data exist <strong>on</strong> the influence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> socioec<strong>on</strong>omics and educati<strong>on</strong>al achievements <strong>on</strong><br />

25(OH)D levels. 16 A study involving women at term in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia reported<br />

significantly higher median levels <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> vitamin D for mothers in the upper class than those<br />

in middle and lower classes. 44<br />

Further, there were no cases <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> extreme vitamin D<br />

deficiency (defined as ≤ 3 ng/ml (≈ 7.5 nmol/L)) am<strong>on</strong>g those in the upper SES group. 44<br />

Hillman & Haddad (1976) investigated the relati<strong>on</strong>ship between 25(OH)D and SES by<br />

creating their own definiti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> social class based up<strong>on</strong> educati<strong>on</strong> and occupati<strong>on</strong>. 45<br />

While their study attempted to measure the associati<strong>on</strong> between social class and serum<br />

25(OH)D they were unable to show that the relati<strong>on</strong>ship was statistically significant.<br />

Another investigati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> ethnic differences <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> vitamin D in the Netherlands c<strong>on</strong>cluded<br />

that vitamin D levels were not c<strong>on</strong>founded by socioec<strong>on</strong>omics <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the mother. 46<br />

Regardless, educati<strong>on</strong> is a str<strong>on</strong>g predictor <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> SES and may result in greater<br />

earning potential for women. Perhaps women with more educati<strong>on</strong> may make better<br />

decisi<strong>on</strong>s c<strong>on</strong>cerning their diet and nutriti<strong>on</strong> and have greater purchasing ability to<br />

6-12

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