Correlates of anaemia in pregnant urban South Indian women: a possible role of dietary intake of nutrients that inhibit iron absorption.

Abstract

To identify correlates of anaemia during the first trimester of pregnancy among 366 urban South Indian pregnant women. Cross-sectional study evaluating demographic, socio-economic, anthropometric and dietary intake data on haematological outcomes. A government maternity health-care centre catering predominantly to the needs of pregnant women from the lower socio-economic strata of urban Bangalore. Pregnant women (n 366) aged ≥18 and ≤40 years, who registered for antenatal screening at ≤14 weeks of gestation. Mean age was 22·6 (sd 3·4) years, mean BMI was 20·4 (sd 3·3) kg/m2 and 236 (64·5 %) of the pregnant women were primiparous. The prevalence of anaemia (Hb <11·0 g/dl) was 30·3 % and of microcytic anaemia (anaemia with mean corpuscular volume <80 fl) 20·2 %. Mean dietary intakes of energy, Ca, Fe and folate were well below the Indian RDA. In multivariable log-binomial regression analysis, anaemia was independently associated with high dietary intakes of Ca (relative risk; 95 % CI: 1·79; 1·16, 2·76) and P (1·96; 1·31, 2·96) and high intake of meat, fish and poultry (1·94; 1·29, 2·91). Low dietary intake of multiple micronutrients, but higher intakes of nutrients that inhibit Fe absorption such as Ca and P, may help explain high rates of maternal anaemia in India.