601 - Illuminating the Connection: Exploring Vitamin D as a Biomarker of Perceived Stress in Pregnancy

Publication Number: 601.5475

Maya Andrade, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Charleston, SC, United States; Anjali Borsum, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Charleston, SC, United States; Kilee W. Knight, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Mount Pleasant, SC, United States; Mathew Gregoski, MUSC Department of Public Health Sciences, Charleston, SC, United States; myla Ebeling, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Charleston, SC, United States; Carol L. Wagner, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine, Charleston, SC, United States

Background: Stress during pregnancy critically impacts both maternal and fetal health outcomes. Poor vitamin D status is associated with adverse maternal health, pregnancy complications, and postpartum depression. Prior research has linked sociodemographic and biological factors to stress levels, yet the role of specific biomarkers, such as vitamin D status, remains unexplored.

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between sociodemographic factors and vitamin D status, as measured by 25(OH)D concentration, with perceived stress in pregnant women. We hypothesized that 25(OH)D concentration, rather than treatment group affected by adherence, would independently predict stress levels in pregnancy.

Design/Methods: A post hoc analysis of the Kellogg Pregnancy Vitamin D study was conducted in which participants were randomly assigned to either 400 IU or 4400 IU of daily vitamin D supplementation. In this cohort study of 350 pregnant women, we assessed stress at months 2, 5, and 7 of pregnancy using the validated Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) as well as sociodemographic variables. Univariate analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with stress, followed by a logistic regression model to determine independent predictors of stress.

Results: The PSS scores remained relatively constant over time with low trends. At month 2, univariate analysis revealed that being married (p < 0.001), having private insurance (p=0.015), and having some college education (p=0.006) were associated with lower perceived stress, while being black was associated with higher perceived stress (p < 0.001). When adjusting for race in logistic regression, these predictors were no longer significant. Treatment group was not associated with perceived stress at any time point. By month 5, 25(OH)D concentration emerged as the only factor associated with PSS score. At month 7, 25(OH)D concentration remained the only significant independent predictor of perceived stress (p=0.004) with race no longer significant in the logistic regression model.

Conclusion(s): Our results indicated that early in pregnancy, race was significantly associated with PSS score. 25(OH)D concentration, and not treatment group, emerged as the sole independent predictor of perceived stress at month 7. These findings suggest potential biological mechanisms underlying the role of vitamin D in stress regulation during pregnancy. Vitamin D status, as measured by 25(OH)D concentration, may act as a biomarker of stress during pregnancy. Prenatal supplementation of vitamin D could offer an affordable, accessible, and valuable intervention.

Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Cohort


Median 25(OH)D Concentration


Logistic Regression Model in Predicting Perceived Stress