STUDY OF IRON STATUS IN PREGNANT HB SS AND HB SC WOMEN IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Aim: To determine the iron status in pregnant HbSS and HbSC women and compare with
pregnant HbAA women in Lagos, Nigeria.
Objectives
1. To determine serum iron levels in pregnant HbSS/Hb SC and Hb AA women.
2. To determine serum ferritin levels in pregnant HbSS/ HbSC and Hb AA women.
3. To determine serum transferrin receptor levels in pregnant HbSS/HbSC and Hb AA
women.
4. To compare serum iron status findings in pregnant HbSS/HbSC women with pregnant Hb
AA women.
Study design: A prospective longitudinal study was carried out among consecutive
consenting patients attending the antenatal clinic in Lagos.
Subjects and Methods: Sixty-seven (67) pregnant women who satisfied the inclusion
criteria were enrolled into the study. Thirty-one (31) were HbSS/SC pregnant women and thirty
six (36) were HbAA pregnant women. Serum iron, serum ferritin, serum C-reactive protein,
serum transferrin receptor, full blood count and red cell indices were estimated on the blood
samples of the pregnant women.
Results: The pregnant Hb SS/SC women had significantly higher mean serum ferritin
(255.1±162.5ng/ml and 262.5±171.0ng/ml) compared with the control group (38.4±8.1ng/ml
and 19.9±17.1ng/ml) at 16-20 weeks and 30-34 weeks respectively. The pregnant Hb AA
women had higher serum transferrin receptor level (3.9±0.9mg/l and 4.8±0.8mg/l) compared
with the pregnant HbSS/SC group (3.4±0.6mg/l and 3.7mg/l) at both gestational ages(16-20
weeks and 30-34 weeks) respectively. None of the 31 HbSS/SC subjects was iron deficient at
the 16-20 weeks gestational ages but in late pregnancy, three (46%) of them had iron
deficiency using serum transferrin receptor assay as a parameter to measure iron status. Seven
(19.4%) of the 36 HbAA pregnant women were iron deficient at 16 – 20 weeks while 22
(61.1%)of these subjects were deficient at 30 – 34 weeks with serum transferrin receptor assay.
Conclusion: Iron deficiency is not prevalent in pregnant women with HbSS/SC but may
occur in pregnant women if their iron store was low at the beginning of pregnancy.

STUDY OF IRON STATUS IN PREGNANT HB SS AND HB SC WOMEN IN LAGOS, NIGERIA