RESUMO
A cross sectional descriptive type of study was done in 98 women of reproductive age. Among them 25 were in control group of non pregnant women and 73 were pregnant women of 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy with and without iron supplementation. The period of study was July 2004 to June 2005. The main objective of our study was to compare hemoglobin percent and packed cell volume (PCV) in pregnant and non pregnant women. In present study hemoglobin percent and packed cell volume was significantly decreased in 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy when compared with the control group and same category of women who were not supplemented with iron. It is evident that the significantly low hemoglobin percent and packed cell volume (PCV) in pregnant women is due in part to dietary iron deficiency. Therefore, iron therapy in pregnancy is helpful to maintain the hemoglobin percent and packed cell volume nearer to that of non pregnant normal women.