Screening pregnant women during their first trimester with a target ferritin concentration greater than 60 μg/L may identify those at risk for iron deficiency later in pregnancy, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Elaine K. McCarthy, PhD, and colleagues analyzed 629 people with low-risk, singleton pregnancies with iron measurements taken at three points. The prevalence of iron deficiency (ferritin <15 μg/L) increased throughout pregnancy, from 4.5% at 15 weeks of gestation and 13.7% at 20 weeks to 51.2% at 33 weeks. The researchers found deficiency rates of 20.7%, 43.7% and 83.8%, respectively, at a ferritin level less than 30 μg/L across the three-time points. The researchers saw a similar prevalence using soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) measures greater than 4.4 mg/L or ferritin less than 15 μg/L (7.2%, 12.6%, and 60.9%, respectively). Rates were lower using total body iron less than 0 mg/kg than ferritin or sTfR. Ferritin less than 60 μg/L emerged as the ferritin threshold at 15 weeks and predicted iron deficiency (ferritin <15 μg/L) at 33 weeks (AUC, 0.750).
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