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PREGNANCY ANAEMIA, IRON AND FOLATE DEFICIENCY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Author(s) -
Fleming A. F.,
Martin J. D.,
Stenhouse N. S.
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1974.tb70933.x
Subject(s) - pregnancy , medicine , iron deficiency , anemia , iron deficiency anemia , obstetrics , pediatrics , biology , genetics
Haematological studies were performed in Western Australia on 95 nulliparous young women and 331 women attending the antenatal clinic who did not have subsequent uterine haemorrhage. Of the nonpregnant, 3% were anaemic (Hb < 12·0 g/100 ml), 16% were iron deficient and 5% were folate deficient. Of the pregnant subjects, 14·5% were anaemic (Hb < 11·0 g/100 ml), 24% were iron deficient and 12% were folate deficient at the time of their first antenatal visit. The haemoglobin concentration was determined largely by the iron status, and folate deficiency was not followed by a fall in the haemoglobin level except in late pregnancy. The mean serum folate (SFA) level declined throughout pregnancy, and it is not possible to use this parameter alone to detect folate deficiency in pregnancy. The mean red cell folate (RCF) level did not fall during pregnancy; a low RCF level and hypersegmentation of the neutrophil polymorphs indicated true deficiency. Iron and folate deficiency became more common with increasing parity, but the mean RCF level rose with age. Italians, other Immigrants from the Mediterranean and Asians were more often anaemic and iron deficient than the majority group, but they had better folate status. Australian Aboriginals were an anaemic, iron and folate deficient group, liable to premature delivery. The recognition of anaemia in pregnancy, the diagnosis of its cause and methods of prevention are discussed with relevance to the pattern of disease found in Western Australia.