Iron deficiency anemia following prenatal nutrition interventions.
OBJECTIVE
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) during pregnancy and infancy is still common in developed countries, especially in low-income groups. We examined the prevalence of anemia and IDA in healthy low-income pregnant women participating in the Early Childhood Initiatives (ECI) program, and in their infants when they reached six months of age.


METHODS
Pregnant women were recruited by nutritionists. In mothers, hemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular volume, and serum ferritin (SF) were measured at 36 +/- 2 weeks of gestation. In infants, Hb, mean corpuscular volume, SF, serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), and transferrin saturation (TS) were measured at six months of age. Thirty-one mother-infant pairs participated.


RESULTS
Among the 31 pregnant women participating in the ECI program, six (19.4%) were anemic (Hb <110 g/L) and five (16.1%) suffered from IDA (Hb <110 g/L and SF <10 microg/L). Among infants, seven of 23 (30.4%) were anemic (Hb <110 g/L) and five of 23 (21.7%) suffered from IDA (Hb <110 g/L plus two of the following: TIBC >60 micromol/L, SF <10 microg/L, serum iron <5.3 micromol/L, TS < or = 15%).


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of anemia in this group of low-income pregnant women is comparable to that in privileged women. The prevalence of IDA in infants is comparable to that observed in other high-risk groups. Effective strategies are needed to prevent IDA in vulnerable groups.
Leblanc
Caroline P
CP
Ecole des sciences des aliments, de nutrition et d'études familiales, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada.
Rioux
France M
FM
D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000032:analysis; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007228:Infant Nutrition Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009510:New Caledonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D010298:Parity; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
D006454:Hemoglobins; D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron