The epidemiology of sideropenic anemia and beta-thalassemia in pregnancy in the Chieti area
Frondaroli, F.; Di Leonardo, A.; Tella, D.; Khalig, J.G.
Minerva Ginecologica 46(10): 557-560
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-4784 PMID: 7838412 Document Number: 432344
To evaluate the prevalence of both sideropenic anemia and B-thalassemia in a group of pregnant women in the city of Chieti. 384 pregnant women who were examined at the obstetric clinic of Chieti University were introduced in the study. Serum levels of ferritin, transferrin, hemoglobin, plus blood cell count and hemoglobin electrophoresis were evaluated in each patient. Those laboratory parameters were also compared in a group of patients who early in gestation were given iron supplementation and a group of patients not supplemented. beta-thalassemia showed a prevalence of 1.3% while sideropenic anemia had a prevalence of 10. The group of patients supplemented with iron early in gestation showed significantly better laboratory parameters than the group not supplemented. Prevalence of beta-thalassemia in Chieti is inferior to the national mean prevalence. Iron supplementation early in pregnancy is associated with improved haematologic parameters in the third trimester.