Iron stores and its correlation to haemoglobin levels in pregnant women attending an antenatal clinic
Goonewardene, M.; Seekkuge, J.; Liyanage, C.
Ceylon Medical Journal 40(2): 67-69
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-0875 PMID: 7656363 Document Number: 439460
To determine the rate of iron deficiency in women coming for antenatal care and to asses whether the haemoglobin concentration is a good index in its detection. A cross sectional cohort study. University antenatal clinic, Teaching Hospital, Galle. Haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (HC) and serum ferritin (SF) were estimated in 236 women. Only 7(3%) women had satisfactory iron stores as shown by SF of over 60 ng/ml. SF levels of less than 10 ng/ml indicating complete depletion of iron stores were found in 135(57%). An Hb level of 11 g/dl, which is the recommended cut off point for the diagnosis of anaemia, had a sensitivity of 63% and a negative predictive value of 41% in the detection of iron deficiency in the study population. The SF was poorly correlated to the Hb at Hb levels of more than 11 g/dl. (r2 = 0.000342, P > 0.5). In women attending for antenatal care the rate of iron deficiency is high (69%). The haemoglobin concentration is not a good index to detect this.