The Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Fetal Cerebroplacental Ratio in Pregnant Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Quasi- Experimental Study

Objective: Pregnancy in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) carries increased maternal and fetal risks. Vitamin D plays an essential role in placental vascular function and fetal circulation regulation. The cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) reflects fetal adaptation to chronic hypoxia through the brain-sparing effect. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on fetal CPR in pregnant women with SLE. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest study was conducted at Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, from May to October 2024. Ten participants received 5000 IU of vitamin D daily for three months. Serum vitamin D and fetal CPR were measured monthly and analyzed using SPSS 24.0. Results Following supplementation, the mean serum vitamin D increased from 21.92 ± 4.85 ng/mL to 35.85 ± 5.68 ng/mL (p=0.05), with hypovitaminosis resolved in all subjects (p = 0.004). The mean CPR improved from 1.30±0.16 in month 1 to 1.61±0.24 in month 2 and remained stable in month 3 (p< 0.0001). Thus, three months of 5000 IU vitamin D supplementation in pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) leads to a noticeable change in vitamin D levels and fetal cerebroplacental ratio (CPR), but the effect on CPR shows a weak, non-significant correlation.