Study of vitamin D deficiency among menopausal women in Basrah city

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is well-recognized worldwide. It is common in older adults, especially in women. Vitamin D deficiency is the most underdiagnosed medical condition in menopausal women. There are few epidemiological studies on the vitamin D status of menopausal women in Basra City, Iraq.  Aim: The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among menopausal women in Basra City and its correlation with various factors that lead to vitamin D deficiency in menopausal women.  Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 menopausal women in the age group 46–65 years attending the gynecological outpatient clinic of Al Mawany Teaching Hospital and the gynecological clinic in Basra City, between September 2019 and August 2020. The level of vitamin D was assessed for each woman. A level of less than 30 ng/ml is considered vitamin D deficiency and a level of 30–100 ng/ml is considered a sufficient level of vitamin D.  Results: There was a prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among 83% of menopausal women in Basra city, and the majority of menopausal women with vitamin D deficiency were in the age group of 51–60. Vitamin D deficiency has a significant correlation between sun exposure and dietary intake at 83.1% and 61.4%, respectively. Vitamin D levels had no correlation with hypertension and diabetes in menopausal women.  Conclusion: This study helped us to evaluate the baseline vitamin D level among post-menopausal women and concluded a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in menopausal women in Basra city. There is a statistically significant correlation between vitamin concentration and age in the late menopausal period. All menopausal women ought to be advised on the advantages of taking vitamin D supplements, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sun exposure.