Title: Evaluation of Subclinical Anaemia Using Serum Ferritin Level in Rural Antenatal Mothers
Authors: Preethi S P, Uma Mohanraj
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v4i8.70
Prevalence of anaemia in all the groups of women is higher in India as compared to other developing countries [1]; leading to maternal mortality, increase in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admission and under nutrition in childhood and adolescence. The aim of this study is to assess serum ferritin levels in non-anaemic (according to Haemoglobin concentration) mothers with Haemoglobin > 10g/dl and to express that Haemoglobin concentration of blood is inadequate to diagnose subclinical iron deficiency anaemia in rural antenatal mothers. Blood samples were collected from 200 antenatal women visiting Government Sivaganga Medical College and Hospital, Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu, India. Among them 56.5 % (n=113) prenatal women were in the 3rd Trimester of pregnancy, 30 % (n=60) in the second Trimester and 13.5 % (n=27) in the first Trimester. Their mean age was 24.5 years, mean height was 153.9 cm. During clinical examination 9 women (4.5 %) were found to be clinically anaemic and the remaining 191 samples were classified according the range of Haemoglobin level. Of the 191 samples 48 samples (24%) containing Hb ≥ 10 g/dl (non anaemic) were taken for study of serum ferritin. The mean level of Ferritin decreases from first trimester to second to third trimester in the decreasing order of 40.8ng/ml, 36.4ng/ml and 27.6 ng/ml respectively. There is a positive correlation between Haemoglobin and Serum Ferritin in three different trimesters of antenatal women. On assessing Haemoglobin alone 76% of antenatal women under study were found to be anaemic. In non-anaemic women 16.7 % were found to be anaemic (iron deficiency anaemia) based on Serum ferritin level (less than 12 ng/ml). Totally 80% of antenatal women are found to be anaemic in this study area. Thus an increase of 4% detection rate and early diagnosis of anaemia is observed with Serum ferritin estimation. Keywords: Serum Ferritin, Antenatal Women, Haemoglobin, Subclinical and Anaemia
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