Iron status in anemic pregnant women

Relationship between zinc content and carbonic anhydrase activity in blood of anemic pregnant women in Turkey

AIMS

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) in pregnancy plays an important part in gaseous exchange across the placenta. The aim of our study was to determine the relationship between zinc content and the CA activity in blood of anemic and normal pregnant women in their third trimester, in Turkey.

METHODS

The patients with hemoglobin values below 11 g/dL were accepted as anemic. CA enzyme activity and zinc levels in erythrocyte of anemic and non-anemic pregnant women were carried out in 27 non-anemic pregnant women and 31 anemic pregnant women. Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) levels of the participants were also tested.

RESULTS

Zinc levels were lower in the anemic group compared to the non-anemic group (P = 0.049). Total CA enzyme activity was also lower in the anemic group (P = 0.044). MCV levels were found to be lower in the anemic group (P = 0.007). The decrease in these values was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to evaluate the zinc content in red blood cells of anemic pregnant women in the third trimester and its relationship with carbonic anhydrase activity. CA isoenzymes to work healthily, providing iron and zinc supports is important for fetal development.

Red blood cell parameters in antenatal nonsickling hemoglobinopathy screening

OBJECTIVE

To find a hematological parameter and the cut-off level for identification of nonsickling hemoglobinopathies in pregnant women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Venous blood samples of 849 women with singleton pregnancies were collected at the first visit. All women who met inclusion criteria were examined for nonsickling hemoglobinopathy. On the basis of the sensitivity and the specificity of different cut-off levels for hematological parameters, we calculated the optimal clinically practicable parameter for screening of nonsickling hemoglobinopathies in pregnant women.

RESULTS

On the basis of the sensitivity and the specificity, the best screening parameters for the identification of nonsickling hemoglobinopathies among nonanemic pregnant women are mean corpuscular volume (MCV) with cut-off ≤80 fL (Youden's index 91.2%), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) <27.5 pg (Youden's index 90.7%), and microcytosis (MRC) ≥3% (Youden's index 90.2%). An analysis using receiver operating characteristic curves and the calculated Youden's index showed that MCV ≤76 fL, MCH ≤24 pg, or MRC ≥10% are the best red blood cell indices for the screening of nonsickling hemoglobinopathy among anemic women with iron deficiency.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest targeted screening for nonsickling hemoglobinopathies in nonanemic pregnant women with MCV ≤80 fL, MCH ≤27.5 pg, or MRC ≥3% and in anemic women with MCV ≤76 fL, MCH ≤24 pg, or MRC ≥10%.