[Anemia in pregnant women of Sobradinho, a satellite city of Brazilia, Brazil (author's transl)]

Four hundred and seven pregnant women, living in Sobradinho, a satellite city of Brasilia, Brazil, divided in three groups according to their gestation age: I trimester (50 cases); II trimester (140 cases); III trimester (201 cases), were studied for the hemoglobin concentration of their blood and intestinal parasitism. In nineteen of the anemic women iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 serum determinations were done. The mean hemoglobin concentration and the percentage of anemia (less than 12 g/100 ml) in the different stages of gestation, were: 13.06 g/100 ml and 22% for the first trimester: 12.49 g/100 ml and 29% for the second trimester and 12.11 g/100 ml and 34% for the third trimester. In the 19 cases of the anemic group studied we found 73.7% of iron deficiency (below 60 microg/100 ml); 26.3% of folic acid deficiency (below 4 ng/ml) and 10.5% of vitamin B12 deficiency (below 140 pg/ ml). A combined deficiency occured in two cases: iron plus folic acid (case 11, table 3) and folic acid plus vitamin B12 (case 3, table 3). The stool examination showed parasitic infection, in 51% of the women.