Abstract
The study was conducted to investigate determinants (clinical, nutritional, and nonnutritional factors) of anemia among pregnant women in Kassala, eastern Sudan. Sociodemographic characteristics were gathered; serum ferritin, zinc, albumin, and C-reactive protein were measured using different laboratory methods in a cross-sectional study of 250 pregnant women. Of the 250 women, 58.4% had anemia (hemoglobin (HB) <11 g/dl), 6.8% had severe anemia (HB < 7 g/dl), 19.6% had iron deficiency (S-ferritin <15 µg/l), 14.8% had iron deficiency anemia (<11 g/dl and S-ferritin <15 µg/l), and 38% had zinc deficiency (<80 µg/ml). S-albumin, zinc, and ferritin were significantly lower in patients with severe anemia. While age, gestational age, ferritin, and C-reactive protein were not predictors for anemia, primigravidae (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.1–6.7, P = 0.02), low S-albumin (OR = 5.9, 95% CI = 1.4–25.2, P = 0.01), and low S-zinc (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.0–6.6, P = 0.03) were the predictors for anemia. While there was no significant correlation between hemoglobin, S-zinc, and S-ferritin, there was a significant positive correlation between hemoglobin and S-albumin (r = 0.308, P = 0.001) and significant inverse correlation between hemoglobin and C-reactive protein (r = 0.169, P = 0.007). Thus, the role of chronic inflammation and zinc as possible contributing factors to anemia in pregnancy has important implications for the clinical evaluation and treatment of these women.
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Acknowledgments
We wish to thank all the patients for their excellent cooperation and we are very grateful to the local health authority in Kassala State and to the entire staff of Kassala Maternity Hospital. We thank Mr. Abdalla Hafazalla for his excellent technical assistance. This work has been supported by The Ministry for Higher Education and Scientific Research, Sudan.
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Mohamed, A.A., Ali, A.A.A., Ali, N.I. et al. Zinc, Parity, Infection, and Severe Anemia Among Pregnant Women in Kassla, Eastern Sudan. Biol Trace Elem Res 140, 284–290 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8704-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8704-3