[Effects of iron deficiency anemia on immunity and infectious disease in pregnant women]

Abstract

Objective: To review the changes in immune function and incidence of infectious diseases in pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia (IDA), especially marginalde-ficiency of iron.

Methods: T lymphocyte subsets level (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+), nature kill cells activity (CD16), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and serum IgA, IgG, IgM and complement C3 were determined in 3 different wormen groups, including 69 IDA pregnant women who were diagnosed by Hemoglobin, concentrations of free erythocyte porphrin and serum ferritin from 280 pregnant women during 30-38weeka of gestation, 52 random sampling normal pregnant women and 50 no pregnant women examined before marriage.

Results: The prevalenoe of IDA for pregnant women is 24.6%. The average concentration of Hb for pregnant women of IDA is 102.00(6.00 g/L The level of CD3+ and CD4+ cells, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells, serum IL-2 as well as IgG levels in the pregnant women were significantly lower than that of those normal pregnant women (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, P < 0.05, P < 0.01). With the decreasing extent of Hb, these significant immunological indices of pregnant women will degrease. The incidence of infectious diseases in IDA pregnant women was significantly higher than that in normal pregnant women (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: There are significantly effects of IDA on cellular immune function and infectious disease during pregnancy. The study on effects of IDA during pregnancy on nature kill cells activity (CD16) and incidence of infectious diseases during puerperium should be continued by increasing sample's number.