Santé (Montrouge, France)
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Santé (Montrouge, France) · Jan 2004
[Effect of iron supplementation among pregnant women at mother-and-baby clinic of Sidi Bel Abbès, West Algeria].
Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional disorder worldwide, especially in developing countries. It occurs when iron absorption does not equal iron requirements plus iron loss. Because iron requirements are especially high in pregnant women, infants, young children, and adolescents, these groups run a high risk of iron-deficiency anemia. ⋯ The prevalence of anemia fell from 34.1% in the first trimester, before supplementation, to 6.3% in the third trimester. This finding suggests that the supplementation prevented the fall in hemoglobin and serum iron that occurred among the women without anemia. We think that iron supplementation is a good strategy for treating and preventing anemia during pregnancy.