BACKGROUND: Severe perinatal depression is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in neonates. Vitamin D levels were observed to be low in mothers and their neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in some studies, owing to its neuroprotective properties. OBJECTIVE: Primary objective was to compare vitamin D deficiency state in full term neonates with severe perinatal depression and healthy term controls. Secondary objectives were to determine sensitivity and specificity of serum 25(OH)D<12 ng/mL in predicting mortality, development of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, abnormal neurological examination at discharge, and developmental outcome at 12 weeks of age. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Serum 25(OH)D levels in full term neonates with severe perinatal depression and healthy controls were compared. RESULTS: Serum 25(OH)D levels in severe perinatal depression and controls (n = 55 each group) were significantly different (7.50 ± 3.53 ng/mL vs 20.23 ± 12.70 ng/mL). At cut-off of < 12 ng/mL, serum 25(OH)D could predict mortality with 100% sensitivity and 17% specificity and poor developmental outcomes with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 50%. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency status at birth can serve as an effective screening tool and poor prognostic markers in term neonates with severe perinatal depression.