Relationship between the iron status of pregnant women and their newborns.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between iron nutritional status of pregnant women and their newborns using a combination of hematological and biochemical parameters for the diagnosis of iron deficiency.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jundiaí, Southeastern Brazil, in 2000. Venous blood samples collected from 95 pregnant women and from their umbilical cord and used for the determination of complete blood count, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, serum ferritin, zinc protoporphyrin, and transferrin saturation. Women were classified into three groups: anemic, iron deficient and non-iron deficient. Statistical analysis included the Tukey-HSD test, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis.


RESULTS
Among pregnant women, 19% were anemic (97.9% mildly anemic and 2.1% moderately anemic) and 30.5% were iron deficient. No significant difference was seen in mean values of any parameter studied between newborns in the three groups (p>0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed weak association between neonatal and maternal parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
The iron nutritional status of pregnant women with iron deficiency or mild anemia does not seem to have a significant impact on the iron levels of their children.
Paiva
Adriana de A
Ade A
Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas Epidemiológicas, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande, PB, Brasil. aapaiva@yahoo.com.br
Rondó
Patrícia H C
PH
Pagliusi
Regina A
RA
Latorre
Maria do R D O
Mdo R
Cardoso
Maria A A
MA
Gondim
Sheila S R
SS
D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D016014:Linear Models; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000502:physiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000097:blood; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
D011524:Protoporphyrins; D014168:Transferrin; C017803:zinc protoporphyrin; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron