Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology : the journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
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Anaemia is one of the most common disorders in pregnancy. The most common cause is iron deficiency. Iron deficiency anaemia is relatively easy to diagnose using a serum ferritin of <15 ng/ml. ⋯ The calculated positive and negative predictive values are: STfR 64% and 75%; S:F 84% and 87%; Hb 58% and 57%; mean corpuscular volume 91% and 55%, respectively. Ferritin remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia. However, because ferritin is an acute phase reactant, soluble transferrin receptor assay may be a better test in ill and hospitalised patients where ferritin may be normal or elevated, despite iron deficiency.