Iron Metabolism in African American Women in the Second and Third Trimesters of High-Risk Pregnancies.
Lauren Welke, Mary Dawn Koenig, Jessica L Thomson and 7 others
PMID 27836659WHAT IT FOUND
Depleted iron stores increased from 25% to 53% between the second and third trimesters in 32 African American women with high-risk pregnancies, while mean dietary iron intake was 38.6 mg daily.
Key findings
01Depleted iron stores, defined as serum ferritin below 15 ng/ml, were present in 25% of participants in the second trimester and 53% in the third trimester.
02Serum iron, ferritin, and transferrin saturation decreased significantly between the second and third trimesters, while transferrin and soluble transferrin receptor increased significantly.
03Mean dietary iron intake from food and supplements was 38.6 mg daily, and 57% of participants with usable dietary data met the pregnancy RDA of 27 mg/day.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was a small convenience sample of 32 women, so the results are not definitive. The number of participants available for analysis varied by trimester and measure because of missing responses, implausible dietary reports, limited serum, and hemolysis. There was no healthy pregnant comparison group. Pre-pregnancy weight was often self-reported, which may have misclassified BMI. Dietary intake was self-reported and may have been under-reported, especially among obese individuals. Erythropoiesis was not assessed because of insufficient serum. The study measured blood markers, not patient or fetal outcomes, so it cannot show that monitoring or iron supplementation improves health. High-risk conditions, BMI, and smoking could not be stratified because of the small sample size. Findings may not apply to African American women outside Chicago or to other race/ethnicities with high-risk pregnancies.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that iron deficiency caused adverse pregnancy outcomes or that oral iron supplementation will correct it. This pilot measured blood markers in 32 women, had no comparison group, and did not test an intervention.