Vitamin D deficiency is common in pregnant women. Some studies have linked vitamin D deficiency to obstetric complications such as gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the potential impact of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy on both perinatal and long-term outcomes. In this retrospective study, conducted between 2017 and 2021, we analyzed the data of 1079 singleton pregnant women with no medical or surgical complications prior to pregnancy. We evaluated obstetric and perinatal outcomes, as well as neurodevelopmental outcomes using Bayley-III tests, Gross Motor Function Measure, or chart review. The maternal serum vitamin D level in the first trimester was 18.2 ± 9.0 ng/mL. Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) was found in 308 (62.0%) women in the first trimester, of which 288 women (26.7%) were in the very deficient group (<10 ng/mL). There were no differences in maternal age, body mass index, and previous preterm birth between the group with vitamin D < 10 ng/mL and ≥10 ng/mL group. There were also no differences in the rates of gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth between the two groups, except for the rate of preterm birth before 37 weeks of gestation, which was significantly higher in the very deficient group (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] = 7.78, 95%CI [2.23–27.12], p = 0.001). In the very deficient group, the risk of developmental delay was also higher (aOR = 4.28, 95%CI [1.40–13.05], p = 0.011). This is the first study to analyze the effects of maternal vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy on both long-term developmental outcomes and perinatal prognosis. Vitamin D deficiency, defined as a level lower than 10 ng/mL in the first trimester, may increase the risk of preterm birth and developmental delay in children.

Whereas a few studies have reported associations of serum omentin levels with subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes, little information is available with respect to the associations of serum omentin levels and diabetic microvascular complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships of serum omentin levels and vascular complications including cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We recruited 97 patients who evaluated complications of diabetes. CAN was assessed by five standard cardiovascular reflex tests according to Ewing’s protocol. Diabetic nephropathy (DN), retinopathy (DR), and peripheral neuropathy (DPN) were evaluated. Serum omentin levels were assessed by ELISA. Atherosclerotic burden was evaluated by measuring the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ankle brachial index (ABI). The prevalence of CAN increased borderline significantly across the omentin tertiles (p = 0.05) and CAN point increased significantly and progressively across the omentin tertiles (p = 0.013). The prevalence of other microvascular complications (DPN, DN, and DR) did not differ among omentin tertiles. The mean levels of baPWV also increased significantly and progressively across the omentin tertiles (p = 0.002). Serum omentin levels were significantly positively correlated with CAN point (p = 0.004) and borderline significantly correlated with baPWV (p = 0.05) after multivariate adjustment. Regarding linear regression analysis for CAN point, univariate regression analysis demonstrated that CAN point associated with omentin, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and hsCRP. Multiple regression analysis revealed that omentin levels, together DBP and baPWV correlated with CAN point. This present study suggests that serum omentin levels may be independently associate with CAN in patients with T2DM.

This study examined perinatal and long-term outcomes where maternal vitamin D deficiency was present in early pregnancy but normalized in mid-pregnancy and deficiency during both early and mid-pregnancy. In this retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical records of 5,169 singleton pregnant women who received a test of serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] two times in the first and second trimester in our hospital from 2016 to 2022. The level of 25(OH)D was categorized into deficiency (<10ng/mL), insufficiency (10–20ng/mL), and sufficiency (≥20ng/mL). Women were grouped based on 25(OH)D status across both trimesters: consistently deficient (DD), initially deficient then sufficient in the second trimester (DS), and consistently sufficient (SS). We evaluated obstetric and neonatal outcomes, including long-term neurodevelopmental assessments. Measurements in the first trimester indicated that 21.7% (n = 1,120) of women were vitamin D deficient, 41.1% (n = 2,127) insufficient, and 37.2% (n = 1,922) sufficient. There were no significant differences in the incidence of gestational hypertension and diabetes among the DD, DS, and SS groups. The rates of preterm birth before 34 weeks (aOR = 2.42, 95%CI[1.24–4.71], p = 0.010), necrotizing enterocolitis (aOR = 22.26, 95%CI[4.16–119.34], p < 0.001), and developmental delay (aOR = 4.46, 95%CI[2.41–8.27], p < 0.001) were elevated in the DD group compared to the SS group. These risks didn’t diminish even when vitamin D deficiency in the second trimester was corrected (DS). In conclusion, associations between low first-trimester 25(OH)D levels and heightened risks of preterm birth and long-term developmental outcomes are observed. As subsequent normalization of 25(OH)D levels may not fully mitigate these risks, incorporating vitamin D screening and intervention before pregnancy as part of routine preconception care could be beneficial in optimizing maternal and offspring outcomes.

The incidence of twin pregnancy with adenomyosis (AD) is increasing due to advanced maternal age and infertility treatment. We retrospectively analysed the data of 45 dichorionic twin pregnancies complicated with AD in contrast to a control group of dichorionic twin pregnancies without AD (n = 130). Compared with those in the control group, the AD group had a higher overall foetal loss rate (8.9% vs. 0.8%; adjusted p = .031; odds ratio (OR), 13.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.27–146.3), higher early preterm delivery rate (20% vs. 6.9%; adjusted p = .007; OR, 4.22; 95% CI, 1.47–12.13) and higher rate of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (26.7% vs. 7.7%; adjusted p = .005; OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 1.5–10.2). Patients in the AD group were significantly more likely to require transfusion during or after delivery (17.8% vs. 5.4%; p = .026) and have smaller babies (2168 g vs. 2399 g; p = .004) compared with those in the control group. This is the first study to report that twin pregnancies with AD may be treated as high-risk for placental dysfunction and may need closer monitoring during pregnancy.