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Alcohol Use and Iron Status in Pregnant Women
Author(s) -
Streissguth Ann Pytkowicz,
Barr Helen M.,
Labbe Robert F.,
Smith James R.,
Darby Betty L.,
Smith Nathan J.,
Martin Donald C.,
Doan Roscius N.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1983.tb05447.x
Subject(s) - anemia , medicine , pregnancy , gestation , transferrin saturation , hemoglobin , iron status , alcohol , prenatal care , ferritin , obstetrics , serum iron , iron deficiency , physiology , environmental health , population , chemistry , biochemistry , genetics , biology
Iron status, assessed by ferritin (ng/ml), transferrin saturation (YO), and hemoglobin (g/100 ml), was examined in a sample of 1398 women from blood samples drawn at their first prenatal visit and in 712 of these women later at their 32‐week prenatal visit. Self‐reported alcohol use (average ounces of absolute alcohol consumed per day around the time of conception) was not systematically related to iron status. Furthermore, the proportion of iron‐depleted or anemic women did not vary according to different levels of alcohol use. An exception is noted in a small group of nine very heavy drinkers, reporting eight or more drinks per day, who, at 32 weeks gestation, had a higher proportion of iron depletion but not anemia. It was concluded that at least in a sample of primarily middle class women receiving good prenatal care, iron depletion and/or anemia probably do not explain the alcohol‐related adverse pregnancy outcomes that have been reported previously. Nevertheless, results from several very heavy drinkers suggest that the iron status of pregnant alcoholic women should be investigated further.