title: The Role of Eating Habits on the Iron Status of Pregnant Women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study highlights the relationship between some eating habits and iron status during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 219 healthy pregnant women aged 27.6 ± 5.7 years from southern Bulgaria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects' iron status was assessed on the basis of the following iron indicators: hemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin (SF), serum transferrin receptor (sTfR), and body iron index (mg/kg).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severe anemia among the women from southern Bulgaria was not observed. Advanced pregnancy and some eating habits are factors that deteriorate iron status. Women who had consumed fish at least 3 times a week had lower levels of sTfR (р = 0.008), higher levels of SF (р = 0.05), and lower levels of body iron (р = 0.018). Frequent legume consumption was related to increased levels of sTfR (р = 0.036). Pregnant women with a high frequency of coffee consumption had lower values of body iron (р < 0.0001). Women who had consumed cow's milk at least 3 times a week had lower levels of SF (р = 0.026) and body iron (р = 0.042).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regular consumption of fish and legumes, rarely drinking coffee, and milk consumption during the intervals between food intake are conditions for optimization of iron status during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy , Medical University , BULGARIA.
authors.forename: Anelia V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Bivolarska
authors.affiliation: b Department of Hygiene and Ecomedicine, Faculty of Public Health , Medical University , BULGARIA.
authors.forename: Penka D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Gatseva
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy , Medical University , BULGARIA.
authors.forename: Ana I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Maneva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004435:Eating; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D011247:Pregnancy; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins
keywords: anemia; eating habits; hemoglobin; iron deficiency; pregnancy; serum ferritin; transferrin receptor