Antenatal Iron Deficiency in an Urban Malaysian Population
Antenatal Iron Deficiency in Urban Malaysia
Abstract
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia in pregnancy. The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence of antenatal anemia and iron deficiency in the Malaysian population and its correlation with socio-demographic and obstetric profile. It was a cross-sectional study conducted at an urban health clinic over a period of six months. A single blood sample was drawn from apparently healthy pregnant mothers at antenatal booking and sent for laboratory assessment of full blood count and serum ferritin as screening tools for anemia and iron status. SPSS version 19.0 was used for statistical analyses. The results showed that out of 250 subjects, 43.6% had anemia and 31.6% had iron deficiency. Whilst 47.7% of subjects with anemia were iron deficient, 19.1% of subjects without anemia were also iron deficient. Serum ferritin correlated negatively with period of gestation at booking (p<0.001), with 77.6% of these women not having prior iron supplements. Serum ferritin was also significantly lower among grandmultiparae (p=0.01). Iron deficiency was significantly (p=0.024) more common among Indians (42.5%) compared to Malays (33.5%) and Chinese (13.0%). In conclusion, continuation of the current practice of routine antenatal iron supplementation is still warranted and justifiable in Malaysia as there is high prevalence of iron deficiency in pregnancy not only in the presence of anemia but also in the presence of normal hemoglobin values.
Keywords :
anaemia,
ferritn,
pregnancy,
Abstrak
Kekurangan zat besi adalah punca utama penyakit anemia semasa kehamilan. Kajian ini dibuat untuk menilai kelaziman anemia dan kekurangan zat besi dalam wanita mengandung dalam populasi Malaysia dan hubung kaitnya dengan sosio-demografi dan profil obstetrik. Kajian keratan rentas dibuat di sebuah klinik kesihatan bandar dalam jangka masa enam bulan. Satu sampel darah diambil daripada wanita mengandung yang kelihatan sihat pada lawatan pertama antenatal dan dihantar ke makmal untuk penilaian pengiraan darah lengkap dan feritin serum sebagai alat saringan untuk anemia dan status zat besi. SPSS versi 19.0 digunakan untuk analisis statistik. Daripada sejumlah 250 subjek, 43.6% menghidap anemia dan 31.6% menghidap kekurangan zat besi. Sejumlah 47.7% daripada subjek yang menghidap anemia juga mengalami kekurangan zat besi, manakala 19.1% daripada subjek yang kekurangan zat besi tidak pula menghidapi anemia. Ferritin serum mempunyai korelasi negatif dengan kematangan kandungan pada lawatan pertama antenatal (p<0.001), dengan seramai 77.6% daripada kumpulan wanita ini tidak mengambil zat besi tambahan sebelum itu. Feritin serum juga rendah antara wanita yang beranak lebih daripada lima (p=0.01). Kekurangan zat besi sangat ketara (p=0.024) dalam kalangan kaum India (42.5%) berbanding dengan kaum Melayu (33.5%) dan Cina (13.0%). Kesimpulannya, oleh kerana ramai wanita mengandung mengalami kekurangan zat besi, bukan sahaja yang mengalami anemia tetapi juga yang mempunyai nilai hemoglobin normal, kesinambungan praktis memberi tambahan zat besi kepada semua wanita mengandung di Malaysia adalah wajar.
Kata Kunci :
anemia,
feritin,
mengandung,
Correspondance Address
Zaleha Abdullah Mahdy, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Jalan Yaacob Latif, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: 00603-91455954 Fax: 00603-91456672 E-mail: zaleha@ppukm.ukm.edu.my
