[Status of iron nutrition in term pregnant women and their newborns]

Abstract

Haemoglobin (Hb), free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP), ratio of FEP and Hb (FEP/Hb), serum ferritin (SF) packed red cell volume (PCV), serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferrin saturation (TS) were evaluated in 170 healthy pregnant women and their full-term babies. The pregnant women were devided into normal and iron deficient groups. The status of iron nutrition of babies of normal mothers and mothers with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) was compared. It showed that the decreased value of PCV in late pregnancy was mainly related to IDA. While the values of SF, FEP/Hb and Hb were more sensitive for detecting pregnancy associated IDA, the values of FEP, FEP/Hb and Hb in babies of IDA mothers were significantly higher than those in babies of normal mothers. Maternal iron status bore no significant correlation with the iron store of their babies. However, Hb less than 11 g/L, FEP/Hb greater than 4.5 micrograms/g, FEP greater than 0.92 mumol/L or SF less than 50 micrograms/L in early pregnancy were indications for iron supplementation.