Micronutrient deficiency disorders amongst pregnant women in three urban slum communities of Delhi.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of three micronutrient deficiency disorders (MDDs), i.e., iron deficiency, iodine deficiency and vitamin-A deficiency individually and in combination amongst pregnant women. METHODS: A hospital based study was conducted amongst 829 pregnant women of II and III trimester attending antenatal clinic, Rural Health Training Center (RHTC), Najafgarh, New Delhi. Anemia was assessed by the presence of clinical signs and by hemoglobin levels. Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) were assessed by clinical examination of thyroid gland and by urinary iodine excretion levels. Iodine content of the salt consumed by the pregnant women was also assessed by iodometric titration method. Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) was assessed by the presence of clinical symptoms of nightblindness. Current dietary intake, morbidity conditions on the day of survey and anthropometric measurements of pregnant women were also documented. RESULTS: Prevalence of anemia, IDD and VAD amongst pregnant women was 78.8%, 22.9% and 4.8%, respectively. One per cent of the pregnant women had concomitant presence of all the three MDDs. Pregnant women having combined prevalence of IDD and anemia, IDD and VAD, and VAD and anemia was 15.1%, 0.18% and 2.69%, respecively. Eighty nine per cent of the pregnant women were consuming salt with iodine content of more than 15 ppm which was recommended at household level. Results on dietary intake showed that 18%, 34%, 85% and 57% of the pregnant women were consuming less than 50% of calories, proteins, iron and b-carotene, respectively as compared to their RDA. Forty per cent of the pregnant women were suffering from various morbidity conditions on the day of survey. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies amongst pregnant women of urban slum communities is high.