Biochemical assessment of the nutritional state of gravida of different socio-economic classes at the Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesha, Nigeria.
Non-pregnant women from the low socio-economic class were found to have significantly lower haemoglobin, plasma transferrin and retinol-binding protein concentrations than those from the upper classes. Pregnancy in these poor women resulted in a further significant lowering of these constituents. Children born to such mothers had significantly lower birthweights and plasma transferrin concentrations. A highly significant positive correlation was found between maternal serum transferrin concentration and birthweight, suggesting that this protein is a sensitive index of nutritional state in pregnancy.
D001724:Birth Weight; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009549:Nigeria; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011247:Pregnancy; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
D001798:Blood Proteins; D006454:Hemoglobins; D012177:Retinol-Binding Proteins; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D014168:Transferrin