Abstract
Background
To assess the prevalence of decreased iron stores and anemia in pregnant women. To
determine whether the risk factors: socio-demographic background, age, BMI, and parity
are associated with abnormal hemoglobin concentrations and/or abnormal iron status.
Methods
A longitudinal study was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital
of Zurich to establish the risk factors and prevalence of the decreased iron stores
and anemia in early pregnancy. In order to determine the hematological parameters
and ferritin levels, venous blood samples of 470 singleton pregnancies between 16
and 20 pregnancy weeks were collected. According to hemoglobin and iron status, the
patients were divided into four groups: patients with iron deficiency anemia, patients
with decreased iron stores, patients with anemia for other reasons and normal patients.
The determinants socio-demographic background, age, BMI and parity were explored using
multiple logistic regression analysis.
Results
The prevalence of decreased iron stores (ferritin<20 μg/l) was observed in 31.8% of subjects (149/470) and anemia (Hb<110 g/l) in 18.5% (87/470). The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was higher among
women coming from former Yugoslavia and developing countries (p=0.004 and p=0.012). In patients coming from developing countries, a significant increase of anemia
for other reasons was observed (p=0.027) and in patients older than 30 years, a significant increase of decreased iron stores (p=0.018).
Conclusions
In our study population with low parity, the prevalence of abnormal hemoglobin and
abnormal iron status was 50.2% (236/470), and socio-demographic background was the
most important risk factor of anemia.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 07, 2012
Accepted:
April 11,
2012
Received in revised form:
April 11,
2012
Received:
August 4,
2011
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
