Background: Maternal nutrition is linked to nutrient supply to breastfeeding infants.
Aim: This study aimed to determine how maternal serum Vitamin D relates to serum calcium, phosphate, and Vitamin D of exclusively breastfeeding young infants.
Methods: Mother–infant pairs practicing exclusive breastfeeding at a Nigerian tertiary hospital were recruited and characterized. Their serum 25‑hydroxyvitamin D (25‑OHD), calcium, and phosphate were analyzed and compared.
Results: A total of 110 mother–infant pairs were recruited. Mean (standard deviation) ages for mothers and infants were 27.4 (5.0) years and 3.0 (1.4) months, respectively. Thirty‑four (30.9%) mothers and 26 (23.6%) infants were Vitamin D deficient. Serum 25‑OHD (39.5 [25.0] vs. 33.4 [19.5] ng/ml; P = 0.045) and phosphate (4.9 [1.6] vs. 4.4 [1.8] mg/dl; P = 0.031) were lower in mothers than infants. Maternal 25‑OHD correlated positively with infants’ 25‑OHD but not with infants’ serum calcium and phosphate.
Conclusion: Unlike serum calcium and phosphate, optimal maternal serum Vitamin D is necessary to maintain appropriate amount of serum Vitamin D in exclusively breastfeeding infants.