Nutritional Deficiency and Anemia in Pregnancy

Abstract

All pregnant women should receive iron supplements; 78 mg. of elemental iron daily by mouth for 24 weeks prevented the appearance of iron deficiency during pregnancy in the clinic patients studied. Hydremia occurs in pregnancy even in the absence of iron deficiency. Iron deficiency was the primary cause of anemia in 23 of 26 pregnant patients with mild or moderate anemia and macrogranulocytic or megaloblastic changes in the bone marrow; the anemia responded to iron, but the changes in the bone marrow did not. A decrease of serum folic-acid activity or of the serum concentration of vitamin B₁₂, or both, was observed in all 26 patients. Routine administration of supplements of folic acid and of vitamin B₁₂ is indicated in pregnancy when inadequate dietary intake is suspected.