High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant non-Western women in The Hague, Netherlands.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common in dark-skinned persons living in northern countries. Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy may have serious consequences for both mother and child.

Objective: The objective was to ascertain the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women of several ethnic backgrounds who were living in The Hague, a large city in the Netherlands.