[Iron deficiency anemia among Mexican women on reproductive age. History of an unresolved problem].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia in the past 66 years among Mexican women on reproductive age, and to analyze the efficacy of interventions implemented for its prevention and control.


METHODS
Observational and clinical epidemiological studies as well as federal intervention programs published between 1939 and 2005 having original data related to anemia were reviewed using electronic databases (Medline and Artemisa) and manual searches. Keywords were anemia, iron deficiency, women, and Mexico. The quality of clinical trials was evaluated using the Jadad scale. Anemia prevalence tendency was analyzed using a linear regression weighted according to the sample size.


RESULTS
Forty-six research studies were included, nine corresponded to clinical trials and four to federal-operative programs. Seventeen papers reported anemia prevalence in non-pregnant women and twenty-three in pregnant women. In the first group, weighted anemia prevalence had decreased from 39.6 to 15.5%, whereas in pregnant women it decreased from 35 to 25%. Of the clinical trials, 55% were considered to be good quality studies.


CONCLUSIONS
Anemia in women on reproductive age, particularly in pregnant women, is still a public health problem in Mexico. If the current conditions continue, it would take 57 years to eradicate anemia in non-pregnant and 121 years in pregnant women. It is necessary to evaluate intervention policies and conduct consistent studies in order to enable appropriate steps to be taken to control anemia.
Casanueva
Esther
E
Instituto Nacional de Perinatologia Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes. Montes Urales 800, colonia Lomas de Virreyes, Miguel Hidalgo 11000 México, DF, México. casanuev@servidor.unam.mx
de Regil
Luz María
LM
Flores-Campuzano
María Fernanda
MF
D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence