Anaemia and iron deficiency during pregnancy in rural Bangladesh
Open Access
- 1 December 2004
- journal article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Public Health Nutrition
- Vol. 7 (8), 1065-1070
- https://doi.org/10.1079/phn2004645
Abstract
To study the prevalence of anaemia and its association with measures of iron deficiency (ID) among a group of pregnant women. Cross-sectional survey. Pregnant women identified through house-to-house visits and participating in community-based antenatal care activities in a rural location of Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The estimates are based on 214 reportedly healthy pregnant women in their second trimester. Information on socio-economic status and reproductive history were obtained through home visits and venous blood samples were collected at antenatal care centres. Haemoglobin concentration (Hb) was measured by HemoCue, serum ferritin (sFt) by radioimmunoassay and serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods. ID was defined as presence of either low sFt (8.5 mg l−1). The prevalence of anaemia (Hb 70 g l−1) was absent. Low sFt was observed in 42%, high sTfR in 25%, either low sFt or high TfR in 54% and both low sFt and high TfR in 13% of the pregnant women. Two out of three anaemic women had an indication of ID, which was present in 80% of women with moderate (Hb 70–99 g l−1) and 50% with mild (Hb 100–109 g l−1) anaemia. Four out of 10 non-anaemic women (Hb >110 g l−1) also had ID, but the prevalence was significantly lower than that observed in anaemic women (P=0.001). Despite the high prevalence of anaemia, severe cases were absent. The prevalence of ID increased at lower Hb. However, an increased prevalence was also found among women in the highest category of Hb.Keywords
This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- Prospective assessment of mortality among a cohort of pregnant women in rural MalawiThe American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 1996
- Circulating transferrin receptors and assessment of iron statusThe Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 1994
- An historical review of malaria, kala-azar and filariasis in Bangladesh in relation to the Flood Action PlanPathogens and Global Health, 1993
- Anemia vs iron deficiency: increased risk of preterm delivery in a prospective studyThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1992
- Serum transferrin receptor for the detection of iron deficiency in pregnancyThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1991
- The effect of maternal anaemia and iron deficiency on the ratio of fetal weight to placental weightBJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1991
- Altered fetal growth: antenatal diagnosis by symphysis-fundal height in India and comparison with western chartsInternational Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 1991
- The Anemia of Chronic DiseaseJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, 1990
- Risk Factors Accounting for Racial Differences in the Rate of Premature BirthNew England Journal of Medicine, 1987
- Effect of iron supplementation on serum ferritin levels during and after pregnancyBJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1982