Folacin and iron status in low-income pregnant adolescents and mature women

Abstract

The folacin and iron status and hematocrit (HCT) levels were determined in 269 pregnant low-income subjects at their first prenatal clinic visit to the Maternity and Infant Care Project facility in Gainesville, Florida. The study included 70 adolescents (≤18 years) and 199 mature women (≤ 18 years). Forty percent of all subjects had low HCT levels (1st trimester, µg/dl) for 96% of the subjects and transferrin saturation was normal (>15%) in 88% of all subjects. The serum iron concentration (mean ± SD = 118 ± 30 µg/dl) in the mature women was lower (P < 0.05) than that of the adolescents (129 ± 39 µg/dl). No differences in hematological and biochemical parameters were observed between oral contraceptive users (within 6 months of conception) and nonusers (no previous use or earlier than 6 months of conception). The data demonstrate that at the initiation of prenatal care, folacin deficiency was much more prevalent than iron deficiency in this low-income pregnant population group.