Antioxidant vitamins status in anemic and non anemic Pakistani women in the third trimester of Pregnancy

Abstract

The pregnant women belonging from a poor socioeconomic class, in the third trimester of pregnancy suffer from iron deficiency anemia. The understanding of the variability of micronutrient status markers during pregnancy is limited.    A cross sectional study was conducted during January 2010 to  December 2010. Based on hemoglobin concentration the women in third trimester of pregnancy were divided into anemic group (Hb<11gm/dL) and non anemic group (Hb > 11 g/dl)  as control.  The anemic pregnant women had shown low levels of hemoglobin, PCV, RBC count, mean cell volume (MCV), and mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) as compared to normal control pregnant women. The RBC’s were hypochromic and microcytic in anemic pregnant women. The anemic pregnant women also had shown low levels of serum iron and serum vitamins A, E, & C as compared to normal control pregnant women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Based on this study we suggest that in late pregnancy (3^rd trimester) the pregnant women should not only be supplemented with iron, but they must be supplemented with antioxidant vitamins