Determination of Pregnant women Knowledge toward Risk Factors of Vitamin D Deficiency and Measuring Level During Pregnancy in Al- Nasiriyah City

Objectives: The aims of this research are three-fold. First, an examination of a pregnant female’s information on risks associated with deficiency in vitamin D in pregnancy at the Al-Nasiriyah primary health clinic, second, an evaluation of levels of vitamin D through various times in pregnancy, third, to identify if an association exists between levels of vitamin D in pregnancy and the trimester of pregnancy. Methodology: The following study was run from 27 December 2018 to the 1 of April 2019. A descriptive study design was adopted including 100 pregnant females who were selected using purposive (non-probability) sampling. The study location was AlNasraniyah; specifically, the Al-Karar primary health care clinic. Data collection was completed through a selfadministrative report and a questionnaire that was split into three sections. The first is the socio-demographic characteristics of the parents including their age, job, income (monthly) and education. The second section included the pregnant female’s medical data including gestational age, gravida, para, and exposure to daily sunlight, numbers of abortions and whether they consume vitamin D or multi-vitamin supplements. The final section consisted of ten questions investigating the pregnant female’s knowledge of the risk factors associated with vitamin deficiency in pregnant females. Quantification of all participants’ vitamin D serum levels was also conducted. Validity testing was performed using both external and internal means. For external validity a panel of experts was employed, while internal validity was established using a pilot study and the alpha correlation coefficient at r=0.870. The Statistical Package for Social Science (IBM SPSS) version 20.0 was used for statistical analysis of the data using both descriptive and inferential methodologies. Results: the study results indicate that the majority that (50.0 %) of the patients within age group (15-25) . Regarding to the level of education, the greater number of them do not read and write and they are accounted for (32.0%) of the sample. In regarding to pregnant women medical sheet information the majority of study sample gestational age found at second semester with percent (56 %) of all study sample, the daily sun light exposure among study sample there are higher percent with less than one hour per day which account for (67%) of study sample.patients have knowledge toward risk factors of Vit D deficiency only at presented as ( pass) in ( 3 and 6) items and presented (failed) in all items ,the high prevalence of Vit D deficiency among study sample with percentage ( 42%) of all which are suffering from Deficiency of Vit D during their pregnancy period . the study results show there is not statistically significant differences Between Vitamin D Level during Pregnancy and first Semester and statistically significant differences Between Vitamin D Level at Semester of Pregnancy by P value < 0.05, While there is highly statistically significant difference Between Vitamin D Level during Pregnancy and Third] Semester of Pregnancy by P value < 0.01. Recommendations: This study proposes the provision of pregnant females with an educational session/s to educate them on the risks associated with deficiency of vitamin D in pregnancy.