title: Prevalence and Risk Factors for Iron Deficiency Anemia and Iron Depletion During Pregnancy: A Prospective Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anemia and iron deficiency during pregnancy are a worldwide concern and are more frequent among women of reproductive age, pregnant women, and young children. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and the risk factors for iron depletion during the first half of pregnancy, in a Portuguese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study was conducted at a tertiary hospital and included pregnant women, until the 20th week of gestation. Data was collected regarding demographic and pregnancy features and hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations were determined. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify potential risk factors for iron deficiency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and one women were included, from which five (2.49%) presented anemia. Additionally, 77 (38.3%) exhibited iron deficiency and 22 (10.9%) revealed severe iron depletion. Maternal age was the only risk factor identified. The odds ratio (OR) was equal to 12.99 (95% CI 2.41 - 70.0) for women under twenty years of age and 2.09 (95% CI 1.05 - 4.14) for women older than thirty years of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of maternal anemia in the first half of pregnancy was lower than in other studies. However, more than one-third of the women exhibited iron deficiency. With the exception of maternal age, no other risk factors were identified.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia, Obstetrícia e Medicina da Reprodução. Hospital de Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte. Lisboa. Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gomes da Costa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia, Obstetrícia e Medicina da Reprodução. Hospital de Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte. Lisboa. Portugal.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia, Obstetrícia e Medicina da Reprodução. Hospital de Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte. Lisboa. Portugal; Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade de Lisboa. Centro Académico de Medicina. Lisboa. Portugal.
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Clode
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ginecologia, Obstetrícia e Medicina da Reprodução. Hospital de Santa Maria. Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte. Lisboa. Portugal; Faculdade de Medicina. Universidade de Lisboa. Centro Académico de Medicina. Lisboa. Portugal.
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: M Graça
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007501:Iron