A Prospective Cohort Study on the Impact of Maternal Vitamin D Status on Labor Progression and Primary Cesarean Section Rates

International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology | Vol. 14, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 253–264

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJOG/000498

Original Research Article

Title: A Prospective Cohort Study on the Impact of Maternal Vitamin D Status on Labor Progression and Primary Cesarean Section Rates

Names of Authors: Fatima B. Aliyu¹, Tunde M. Bakare¹

Authors’ Affiliations:
¹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

Abstract:
Vitamin D deficiency is implicated in altered myometrial contractility and poor pelvic muscle function, which might influence labor dynamics. This prospective cohort study examined the relationship between maternal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels at term and the duration of labor stages or the incidence of primary cesarean delivery. Three hundred nulliparous women with singleton term pregnancies in spontaneous labor were enrolled. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured at admission, categorizing women into three brackets: Deficient (< 20 ng/mL, n = 110), Insufficient (20 to 29.9 ng/mL, n = 105), and Sufficient (≥ 30 ng/mL, n = 85). Labor curves were tracked via digital partographs. Vitamin D deficiency was identified in 36.7% of the cohort. The mean duration of the active first stage of labor was significantly longer in the deficient group compared to the sufficient group (7.4 ± 2.1 hours vs. 5.2 ± 1.5 hours, p < 0.001). The primary cesarean delivery rate due to labor dystocia or arrest disorders was significantly higher among vitamin D-deficient women (22.7% vs. 8.2%; Odds Ratio [OR] = 3.24; 95% CI, 1.38 to 7.62; p = 0.007) compared to those with sufficient levels. Multi-variate logistic regression confirmed that low maternal vitamin D remained an independent predictor of labor arrest after controlling for age, BMI, and birth weight. Severe maternal vitamin D deficiency at term correlates with prolonged labor intervals and significantly raises the likelihood of primary cesarean section secondary to dystocia.

Keywords: Vitamin D Deficiency; Labor Progression; Cesarean Section; Labor Dystocia; Nulliparous; Partograph.

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 19, 2026; Revised: July 10, 2026; Accepted: July 29, 2026; Published: August 20, 2026.

Citation: Aliyu FB, Bakare TM. A Prospective Cohort Study on the Impact of Maternal Vitamin D Status on Labor Progression and Primary Cesarean Section Rates. International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2026; 14(8): 253–264.

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