Risk factors for iron deficiency in new borns in a Mexican region

Background: Hemodynamic changes on pregnant women in developing countries worsen, producing states of deficiency with disastrous outcomes for the mother and the newborn. Iron deficiency anemia is the best example. On Mexican pregnant women the prevalence of this problem is elevated and is associated to multiple risk factors: nutritional situation of the mother, socioeconomic level, diet, and deficient prenatal care. In our study we will evaluate risk factors for iron deficiency in Mexican newborn babies and their mothers. Methods: The hemoglobin of 132 mother-newborn couples was determined. Two interviews were performed: the first one before childbirth included weight and height, and the other one during post-partum for the diet study. Results: 27% of the women studied had ingested no iron supplement. The rest of pregnant women started to have supplements on week 19th of pregnancy, during a period of 11 weeks. Mothers with smaller weight, body mass index, intergenesic period and lower iron intake had a higher frequency of newborns with a birth weight lower than 2.500 g (p<0.05). The higher number of pregnancies, and the lower dietary intake of the mother of energy, iron, zinc and folic acid, had a significant relation with a hemoglobin level lower than 155 g/l (p<0.05). The odds ratio for mother anemia to lower hemoglobin levels newborn 2.25 (I.C.95% 1.08-4.72). Conclusions: Prevalence of anemia affects one third of the pregnant women studied. Iron supplementation is performed lately. Relationships between weight and hemoglobin level in newborns, with several nutritional risk factors present in mothers were observed.