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The determinants of iron status in early pregnancy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Siân Robinson ,
Keith Godfrey ,
Jonathan Denne  and
Vanessa Cox
Siân Robinson*
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit, (University of Southampton), Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
Keith Godfrey
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit, (University of Southampton), Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
Jonathan Denne
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit, (University of Southampton), Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
Vanessa Cox
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit, (University of Southampton), Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
*
*Corresponding author:Dr Siân Robinson, fax +44 (0)1703 704021, email smr@mrc.soton.ac.uk
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Abstract

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In pregnancy, the additional demands for Fe are thought to be met principally through increased maternal dietary Fe absorption and by mobilization of maternal Fe stores. In a general population sample of 576 women we examined the maternal and dietary characteristics which influenced Fe stores (assessed by serum ferritin concentration) in early pregnancy. The effects of these characteristics on two measures of functional Fe status (mean cell volume and haemoglobin concentration) were also considered. Serum ferritin concentrations were lower in multiparous women (P < 0.0001) and in those with a lower BMI (P = 0.01), and rose with increasing alcohol intake (P < 0.0001). Ferritin concentrations fell with increasing Ca intake (P < 0.0001); the proportion of women with serum ferritin values ≤ 12 μg/l rose from 14% of the women in the lowest quarter of Ca intake to 29% of the women in the highest quarter. Mean cell volume and haemoglobin concentration were not related to Ca intake in early pregnancy. Although Ca added to test-meals reduces Fe absorption, long-term Ca supplementation has not been shown to lower plasma ferritin concentration, suggesting that high habitual Ca intakes would be unlikely to influence Fe status in non-pregnant individuals. Our findings show that in early pregnancy there is an association between high dietary Ca intake and lower Fe stores. This effect of Ca on one aspect of Fe status may result from its influence on Fe bioavailability.

Keywords

IronFerritinPregnancy
Type
Human and Clinical Nutrition
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 79 , Issue 3 , March 1998 , pp. 249 - 255
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1998

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