Aim: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Saad Abualila Hospital (Khartoum, Sudan) to evaluate the vitamin D levels and thyroid function among pregnant Sudanese women (132) in early pregnancy.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Saad Abualila hospital (Khartoum, Sudan) during the period from March to July 2015. Women who were in early pregnancy with a singleton pregnancy were approached to participate in the study after signing informed consent. A sample size of 132 participants was calculated guided by the normal interval of thyroid function in Sudanese women in the first trimester and not the level of 25(OH) vitamin D. The 25 - hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH) vitamins levels were measured using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay on an Elecsys 2010 Analyzer (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany).
Results: The mean (SD) of age, gravidity and gestational age was 27.6 (5.5) years, 2.2 (1.6) and 10.4 (2.2) weeks, respectively. The mean (SD) of the body mass index (BMI) and haemoglobin was 27.1 (5.2) kg/m2 and 10.8 (1.1) g/dl, respectively. Median (interquartile) values of TSH, FT3, and FT4 were 1.164 IU/ml (0.079 -2.177 IU/ml), 4.639 nmol/l (3.843 - 6.562 nmol/l), and 16.86 pmol/l (13.02 - 31.48 pmol/l), respectively. There was no significant correlation between vitamin D levels and TSH, FT3 and FT4.
Conclusion: There is no correlation between 25 (OH) vitamin D levels and thyroid function during early pregnancy among Sudanese pregnant women, despite prevalent vitamin D deficiency among these women.
Keywords: Pregnancy; Sudan; Thyroid function; Vitamin D.