Osteomalacia of the mother —rickets of the newborn

During the last 4 years we observed four cases of neonatal rickets. The mothers of the infants suffered from osteomalacia for 1–3 years prior to its diagnosis shortly after the birth of their children. All four infants were born with craniotabes, and one infant had, in addition, a radial fracture. The diagnoses were confirmed by radiological and laboratory tests which revealed a rarefied bone structure, decreased serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D and increased alkaline phosphatase levels in all patients. The disorder regressed under low-dose vitamin D₃ therapy. As osteomalacia seems to be predominant in oriental women living in Berlin, it is necessary to consider vitamin D deficiency when clinical symptoms of this disease arise and to treat these women at least during pregnancy.