title: Iron deficiency: assessment during pregnancy and its importance in pregnant adolescents.
abstract: The assessment of iron deficiency in pregnancy requires the accurate determination of indicators that have significant within-subject variability. For instance, serum ferritin concentrations may vary by as much as 25% from one day to the next. Added to this uncertainty about biological variability is the influence of plasma volume expansion on concentration-dependent indexes such as ferritin, plasma iron, and hemoglobin. Multiple measurements of iron status are suggested, and, if this is not possible, within-subject variability needs to be included in the confidence of assigning individuals to iron-status groups. An example of this former approach is shown for a group of pregnant adolescents with a very high prevalence of iron deficiency. Although the assessment of iron status in human populations is advanced compared with that of other nutrients, there is still a large uncertainty about absolute diagnosis during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition Department, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Beard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010953:Plasma Volume; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron