effect of maternal iron deficiency anemia on pregnancy outcome

To evaluate the effects of iron deficiency anemia on pregnancy outcome and possible relation between placental weight and fetal weight. The subjects of this study were eighty pregnant ladies. Forty of them were iron deficiency anemic pregnant ladies while the remaining forty were normal pregnant ladies as the control group. For all blood samples were obtained and subjected for complete blood count, indices, serum iron, total iron binding capacity [TIBC], transferrin saturation, serum ferritin, placental weight, fetal weight and Apgar score estimation. In the iron deficiency anemic group there were a significant decease in all parameters except RBCs count, fetal weight and Apgar score whose values were statistically non significant. Serum ferritin and mean corpuscular volume [MCV] showed a deficit compared with the control group. Serum ferritin, serum iron, TIBC determinations were the best measurements to diagnose iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy. There was an increase in placental weight and placental weight/fetal weight ratio. Regarding neonatal condition at birth [Apgar score] there was non significant difference between both groups